2013 HONDA RIDGELINE maintenance

µµTheheadlightswereproperlyaimed
when your vehicle was new. If you
regularly carry heavy items on the
pickup bed or pull a trailer,
readjustment may be required.
Adjustmentsshouldbedonebyyour
dealer or other qualif ied technician.
Your vehicle has halogen headlight
bulbs. When replacing a bulb,
handle it by its base, and protect the
glass from contact with your skin or
hard objects. If you touch the glass,
clean it with denatured alcohol and a
clean cloth.
The timing belt should be replaced
at the intervals shown in the
Maintenance Minder schedule.
Replace the timing belt every 60,000
miles (100,000 km) if you regularly
drive your vehicle in any of the
f ollowing conditions:
In very high temperatures
(over 110°F, 43°C).
In very low temperatures
(under 20°F, 29°C).
Frequently towing a trailer.
CONT INUED
Headlight A iming Replacing a Headlight Bulb
Timing Belt
T iming Belt, L ights
333
TM
Halogen headlight bulbs get very hot
when lit. Oil, perspiration, or a scratch
on the glass can cause the bulb to
overheat and shatter.
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Maint enance

The floor mats that came
with your vehicle hook over the
floor mat anchors. This keeps
the floor mats from sliding
forward, possibly interfering
with the pedals, or backwards,
making the front passenger’s
weight sensors ineffective.
If you remove a floor mat, make sure
to re-anchor it when you put it back
in your vehicle.A non-Honda f loor mat may not f it
your vehicle properly. This could
prevent the proper operation of the
f olding rear seats and the passenger’s
seat weight sensors. We recommend
using genuine Honda f loor mats. Do
not put additional f loor mats on top
of the anchored mats.
This filter removes the dust and
pollen that is brought
in from the outside through the
heating and cooling system/
climate control system.
Have your dealer replace the filter
when this service is indicated by a
maintenance message on the
information display or multi-
information display (depending on
the models). 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 flow
from the heating and cooling
system/climate control system
becomes less than usual.
Floor Mats
Dust and Pollen Filter
Floor Mats, Dust and Pollen Filter
342
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Maint enance

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 the same solution, and rinse
them 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
Wheels
T ires
Wiper Blades, Wheels, Tires
345
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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Maint enance

In addition to proper inf lation,
correct wheel alignment helps to
decrease tire wear. If you f ind a tire
is worn unevenly, have your dealer
check the wheel alignment.
Have your dealer check the tires if
you feel a consistent vibration while
driving. A tire should always be
rebalanced if it is removed from the
wheel. When you have new tires
installed, make sure they are
balanced. This increases riding
comfort and tire life. For best
results, have the installer perform a
dynamic balance.
The service lif e of your tires is
dependent on many f actors,
including, but not limited to, driving
habits, road conditions, vehicle
loading, inf lation pressure,
maintenance history, speed, and
environmental conditions (even
when the tires are not in use).
In addition to your regular
inspections and inf lation pressure
maintenance, it is recommended that
you have annual inspections
perf ormed once the tires reach f ive
years old. It is also recommended
that all tires, including the spare, be
removed from service after 10 years
from the date of manufacture,
regardless of their condition or state
of wear.
The last f our digits of the TIN (tire
identif ication number) are f ound on
the sidewall of the tire and indicate
the date of manufacture (See
on page ). To help increase tire lif e and
distribute wear more evenly, rotate
the tires according to the
maintenance messages displayed on
the inf ormation display or multi-
inf ormation display (depending on
models). Move the tires to the
positions shown in the diagram each
time they are rotated. If you
purchase directional tires, rotate
only f ront-to-back.
390 Tire Rotation
T ire Maintenance
Tire Service Lif e
Tire
Labeling
Tires
348
Front
(For Non-directional
Tires and Wheels) (For Directional
Tires and Wheels)Front
On vehicles with aluminum wheels,
improper wheel weights can damage
your vehicle’s aluminum wheels. Use
only Honda wheel weights f or
balancing.
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Maint enance

µ
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.
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.
Check the condition of the battery
monthly by looking at the test
indicator window. The label on the
battery explains the test
indicator’s colors.
CONT INUED
WARNING:
Wash your hands af ter handling.
Checking the Battery
353
TEST INDICATOR WINDOW
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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Maint enance

µ
Accordingly, when the low tire
pressure telltale illuminates, you
should stop and check your tires as
soon as possible, and inf late them to
the proper pressure.Driving on a signif icantly under-
inf lated tire causes the tire to
overheat and can lead to tire failure.
Under-inf lation also reduces f uel
efficiency and tire tread life, and may
af f ect the vehicle’s handling and
stopping ability.
Please note that the TPMS is not a
substitute for proper tire
maintenance, and it is the driver’s
responsibility to maintain correct tire
pressure, even if under-inf lation has
not reached the level to trigger
illumination of the TPMS low tire
pressure telltale.
(If your vehicle has tires of a
dif f erent size than the size indicated
on the vehicle placard or tire
inf lation pressure label, you should
determine the proper tire inf lation
pressure f or those tires.) Each tire, including the spare (if
provided), should be checked
monthly when cold and inf lated to
the inf lation pressure recommended
by the vehicle manuf acturer on the
vehicle placard or tire inf lation
pressure label. As an added safety
feature, your vehicle
has been equipped with
a tire pressure
monitoring system
(TPMS) that illuminates a low tire
pressure telltale when one or more
of your tires is significantly
under-inf lated.
All Models
Tire Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS) Required Federal Explanation
392
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Technical Inf ormation

ÎThe burning of gasoline in your
vehicle’s engine produces several by-
products. Some of these are carbon
monoxide (CO), oxides of nitrogen
(NOx), and hydrocarbons (HC).
Gasoline evaporating f rom the tank
also produces hydrocarbons. Con-
trolling the production of NOx, CO,
and HC is important to the environ-
ment. Under certain conditions of
sunlight and climate, NOx and HC
react to f orm photochemical ‘‘smog.’’
Carbon monoxide does not contri-
bute to smog creation, but it is a
poisonous gas.The United States Clean Air Act
sets standards for automobile
emissions. It also requires that
automobile manufacturers
explain to owners how their
emissions controls work and what
to do to maintain them. This
section summarizes how the
emissions controls work. Scheduled
maintenance is on page
.
Your vehicle has a positive
crankcase ventilation system. This
keeps gasses that build up in the
engine’s crankcase f rom going into
the atmosphere. The positive crankcase ventilation valve routes
them from the crankcase back to the intake manif old. They are then
drawn into the engine and burned.
As gasoline evaporates in the f uel
tank, an evaporative emissions
control canister f illed with charcoal
adsorbs the vapor. It is stored in this
canister while the engine is of f . Af ter
the engine is started and warmed up,
the vapor is drawn into the engine
and burned during driving.
The onboard ref ueling vapor
recovery (ORVR) system captures
the f uel vapors during ref ueling. The
vapors are adsorbed in a canister
f illed with activated carbon. While
driving, the f uel vapors are drawn
into the engine and burned of f .
322
The Clean Air Act
Crankcase Emissions
Control Evaporative Emissions
Control System
Onboard Ref ueling
Vapor Recovery
Emissions Cont rols
395
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Technical Inf ormation
ÎIn Canada,
Honda vehicles comply with
the Canadian emission requirements , as
specified in an agreement with
Environment Canada, at the time they
are manufactured.
System

T he publications shown below can be purchased f rom Helm
Incorporated. You can order by phone or online:Call Helm Inc. at 1-800-782-4356 (credit card orders only)
Go online at
If you are interested in other years or models, contact Helm Inc.
at 1-800-782-4356.Covers maintenance and recommended procedures f or
repair to engine and chassis components. It is written
f or the journeyman mechanic, but it is simple enough
f or most mechanically inclined owners to understand.
Complements the Service Manual by providing in-depth
troubleshooting inf ormation f or each electrical circuit
in your vehicle.
Describes the procedures involved in the replacement
of damaged body parts.
Authorized Manuals
Purchasing Factory Authorized Manuals Service Manual:
Electrical T roubleshooting Manual:
Body Repair Manual:
(U.S. only)
405
Publication
Form Number 61SJC07
61SJC07EL
61SJC30
31SJC670
31SJC860
31SJCQ70
31SJCM70 HON-R Form Description
2009-2013 Honda Ridgeline Service Manual 2009-2013 Honda Ridgeline
Electrical Troubleshooting Manual 2006 Model Series Ridgeline Body Repair Manual
2013 Honda Ridgeline Owner’s Manual
2013 Honda Ridgeline Navigation Manual
2013 Honda Ridgeline Technology Reference Guide 2013 Ridgeline Honda Service History
Order Form for Previous Years-Indicate Year and Model Desired
www.helminc.com
12/09/07 16:43:42 31SJC670_412
Warrant y and Cust omer Relat ions