2014 HONDA RIDGELINE engine

Wait a f ew minutes af ter turning the
engine of f bef ore you check the oil.Remove the dipstick (orange loop).
Wipe of f the dipstick with a clean
cloth or paper towel.
Insert the dipstick all the way back
into its hole. Remove the dipstick again,
and check the level. It should
be between the upper and
If it is near or below the lower mark,
see on page .Look at the coolant level in the
radiator reserve tank. Make sure it is
between the MAX and MIN lines. If
it is below the MIN line, see
on page
information on adding the proper
Refer to on page for information
about checking other items on
your
1.
2.
3. 4.
324 327
321
A dding Engine Oil Engine Coolant Check
Oil Check
A dding
Engine Coolant
Owner’s Maintenance
Checks
Service Station Procedures
251
UPPER MARK
LOWER MARK
DIPSTICK
MIN
MAX
RESERVE TANK
12/08/09 16:32:26 31SJC670_258
Bef ore Driving
lower marks.
vehicle.
proper coolant.

µ
µ µ
µ
µ
µµ
The f ollowing f actors can lower your
vehicle’s f uel economy:
Aggressive driving (hard
acceleration and braking)
Excessive idling, accelerating and
braking in stop-and-go traf f ic
Cold engine operation (engines
are more efficient when
warmed up)
Driving with a heavy load or the
air conditioner running
Improperly inf lated tires
A properly maintained vehicle
maximizes f uel economy. Poor
maintenance can signif icantly reduce
f uel economy. Always maintain your
vehicle according to the maintenance
messages displayed on the
inf ormation display (see on page ).For example:
Rapid
acceleration, abrupt cornering,
and hard braking increase
If your vehicle has a
manual transmission, you can
boost your f uel economy by up
shif ting as early as possible. Aerodynamic drag has a big ef f ect
on f uel economy at speeds above
45 mph (75 km/h). Reduce your
speed and you reduce the drag.
Trailers, car top carriers, roof
racks and bike racks are also big
contributors to increased drag.
Idling
results in 0 miles per gallon (0 kms
per liter).
An underinf lated tire increases
‘‘rolling resistance,’’ which reduces
f uel economy.
It puts a heavier
load on the engine, increasing
In
particular, a build-up of snow or
mud on your vehicle’s underside
adds weight and rolling resistance.
Frequent cleaning helps your
fuel economy.
321
CONT INUED
Fuel Economy Factors
Improving Fuel Economy
Owner’s
Maintenance Checks Use the recommended viscosity
motor oil, displaying the A PI
Certif ication Seal (see
). Drive moderately
Always drive in the highest gear
possible Observe the speed limit
Avoid excessive idling
Maintain proper tire inf lation
A void carrying excess weight in
your vehicle
K eep your vehicle clean
Vehicle Maint enance Drive Ef f icient ly
Fuel Economy
253
12/08/09 16:32:48 31SJC670_260
Bef ore Driving
fuel consumption.
fuel consumption.
page 324

µµ
Fill the f uel tank until the nozzle automatically clicks of f .
Reset trip counter to zero.
Record the total gallons (liters) needed to ref ill.
Follow one of the simple calculations above.
The A/C
puts an extra load on the engine
which makes it use more fuel.
Use the fresh-air ventilation
when possible.
Combine several short trips into
one. A warmed-up engine is more
f uel ef f icient than a cold one.
Direct calculation is the
recommended source of inf ormation
about your actual f uel economy.
Using f requency of f ill-ups or taking
f uel gauge readings are NOT
accurate measures of f uel economy.
Fuel economy may improve over the
f irst several thousand miles
(kilometers). 1.
2.
3.
4.
Checking Your Fuel Economy
Measuring T echniques
Fuel Economy
Minimize the use of the air
conditioning system
Plan and combine trips
Calculating Fuel Economy
254
Miles driven Gallons of
fuel Miles per
Gallon
100 KilometersL per 100 km
Liter
12/08/09 16:32:56 31SJC670_261
Bef ore Driving

This section gives you tips on
starting the engine under various
conditions, and how to operate the
automatic transmission. It also
includes important inf ormation on
parking your vehicle, the braking
system, the Variable Torque
Management
4-wheel drive
(VTM-4
) system, the vehicle
stability assist (VSA
), aka
Electronic Stability Control (ESC),
system, the tire pressure monitoring
system (TPMS), and f acts you need
if you are planning to tow a trailer or
drive of f -highway. ........................
Driving Guidelines .266
........................
Preparing to Drive .267
.......................
Starting the Engine .268
..............
Automatic Transmission . 269
Variable Torque Management
...........
4WD (VTM-4) System . 274
Tire Pressure Monitoring System ......................................
(TPMS) .276
...........................................
Parking .284
.............................
Braking System .286
...............
Anti-lock Brakes (ABS) . 287
Vehicle Stability Assist (VSA
),
aka Electronic Stability Control .......................
(ESC), System .288
.................
Towing Weight Limits . 291
..........
Towing Weight Guidelines . 293
...........................
Towing a Trailer .294
Of f -Highway Driving ..................................
Guidelines .304
Driving
265
12/08/09 16:34:17 31SJC670_272

Youshoulddothefollowingchecks
and adjustments bef ore you drive
your vehicle.Make sure all windows, mirrors,
and outside lights are clean and
unobstructed. Remove f rost, snow,
or ice.
Check that the hood is f ully closed.
Check that the tailgate is f ully
closed when it is not used as an
extended pickup bed.
Visually check the tires. If a tire
looks low, use a gauge to check
its pressure.
Check that any items you may be
carrying are stored properly or
f astened down securely. Check the adjustment of the
inside and outside mirrors (see
page ).
Check the steering wheel
adjustment (see page ).
Make sure the doors and In-
Bed Trunk are securely
closed and locked.
Fasten your seat belt. Check that
your passengers have f astened
their seat belts (see page ).
Check the seat adjustment (see
pages and ). When you start the engine, check
the gauges and indicators in the
instrument panel, and the
messages on the information
display or multi-information
display (depending on the model)
(see pages , ,
,
).
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6. 8. 7.
9.
10.
11.
121 133
99
16
61 76 77
119
Preparing to Drive
Driving
267
12/08/09 16:34:35 31SJC670_274
and 89

Apply the parking brake.
In cold weather, turn of f all
electrical accessories to reduce
the drain on the battery.
Make sure the shif t lever is in
Park. Press on the brake pedal.Without touching the accelerator
pedal, turn the ignition key to the
START (III) position. Do not hold
the key in the START (III)
position f or more than 15 seconds
at a time. If the engine does not
start right away, pause for at least
10 seconds bef ore trying again.
1.
2.
3.
4.
Starting the Engine
268
T he immobilizer system protects your
vehicle f rom thef t. If an improperly
coded key (or other device) is used, the
engine’s f uel system is disabled. For
more inf ormation, see page .The engine is harder to start in cold
weather. Also, the thinner air f ound at
altitudes above 8,000 f eet (2,400
meters) adds to this problem.
101
12/08/09 16:34:41 31SJC670_275
Driving

µµThis position mechani-
cally locks the transmission. Use
Park whenever you are turning of f or
starting the engine. To shif t out of
Park, you must press on the brake
pedal and have your f oot of f the
accelerator pedal. Pull the shift lever
towards you, then move it out
If you have done all of the above and
still cannot move the lever out of
Park, see on
page .
You must also pull the shif t lever
towards you to shift into Park. To
avoid transmission damage, come to
a complete stop bef ore shif ting into
Park. The shif t lever must be in Park
for you to remove the key from the
ignition switch. Press the brake
pedal and pull the shift lever towards
you to shift from Park to reverse. To
shift from reverse to neutral, come
to a complete stop, and then shift.
Pull the shift lever towards you
before shifting into reverse
273
To shift from: PtoR
RtoP
NtoR Dto2 2to1
1to2
2toD
DtoN
NtoD RtoN Do this:
Press the brake pedal, and
pull the shift lever towards
you.
Pull the shift lever towards
you.
Move the shift lever.
Automatic Transmission
Park (P)
Shif t L ock Release Reverse (R)
270
12/08/09 16:34:54 31SJC670_277
Driving
of Park.
from neutral.

µ
µ
CONT INUED
Press the D3 switch on the end of
the shif t lever to turn this mode on
or of f ; the D3 indicator comes on
whenever D3 is selected.
TheD3switchcanbeoperatedonly
when the ignition switch is in the ON
(II) position and the shif t lever is in
the D position.
Use this position f or
your normal driving. The
transmission automatically selects a
suitable gear (1 through 5) f or your
speed and acceleration. You may
notice the transmission shif ting up at
higher engine speeds when the
engine is cold. This helps the engine
warm up f aster.
Af ter you stop in D, 2, 1, N, or R
position with the ignition switch in
the ACCESSORY (I) position f or an
extended period, you may not be
able to move the shift lever from
neutral to reverse or Park. In this
case, press the brake pedal, and turn
the ignition switch to the ON (II)
position, then shif t out of neutral. Use neutral if you
need to restart a stalled engine, or if
it is necessary to stop brief ly with
the engine idling. Shif t to the Park
position if you need to leave your
vehicle for any reason. Press on the
brake pedal when you are moving
the shift lever from neutral to
another gear.
Automatic Transmission
D3Drive (D)
Neutral (N)
271
D3 SWITCH
12/08/09 16:35:00 31SJC670_278
Driving