2021 HONDA RIDGELINE air condition

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Driving
Before Driving
Driving Preparation
Check the following items before you start driving.
• Make sure there are no obstructions on the windows, door mirrors, exterior
lights, or other parts of the vehicle.
u Remove any frost, snow, or ice.
u Remove any snow on the roof, as this can slip down and obstruct your field of
vision while driving. If frozen solid , remove ice once it has softened.
u When removing ice from around the wheels, be sure not to damage the wheel
or wheel components.
• Make sure the hood is securely closed.
u If the hood opens while driving, your front view will be blocked.
• Make sure the tires are in good condition.
u Check air pressures, and check for damage and excessive wear.
2Checking and Maintaining Tires P. 516
•Make sure the tailgate is fully closed when it is not being used as an extended
pickup bed.
• Make sure the trunk is secu rely closed and locked.
• Make sure there are no people or ob jects behind or around the vehicle.
u There are blind spots from the inside.
■Exterior Checks1Exterior Checks
NOTICE
When doors are frozen s hut, use warm water around
the door edges to melt any ice. Do not try to force
them open, as this can damage the rubber trim
around the doors. When done, wipe dry to avoid
further freezing.
Do not pour warm water into the key cylinder.
You will be unable to insert the key if the water
freezes in the hole.
Heat from the engine and exhaust can ignite
flammable material s left under the hood, causing a
fire. If you’ve parked y our vehicle for an extended
period, inspect and remove any debris that may have
collected, such as dried grass and leaves that have
fallen or have been carried in for use as a nest by a
small animal. Also check under the hood for leftover
flammable materials after you or someone else has
performed maintenance on your vehicle.

412
uuWhen Driving uVehicle Stability AssistTM (VSA ®), aka Electronic Stability Control (ESC), System
Driving
Vehicle Stability AssistTM (VSA ®), aka Electronic
Stability Control (ESC), System
VSA ® helps to stabilize the vehicle during cornering if the vehicle turns more or less
than what was intended. It also assists in maintaining traction on slippery surfaces.
It does so by regulating engine output and select ively applying the brakes.
When VSA ® activates, you may notice that the
engine does not respond to the accelerator.
You may also notice some noise from the
hydraulic brake system. You will also see the
indicator blink.
■VSA ® Operation
1 Vehicle Stability AssistTM (VSA ®), aka Electronic Stability Control
(ESC), System
The VSA ® may not function properl y if tire type and
size are mixed. Make sure to use the same size and
type of tire, and the air pressures as specified.
When the VSA ® system indicator comes on and stays
on while driving, there ma y be a problem with the
system. While this may not interfere with normal
driving, have your vehi cle checked by a dealer
immediately.
VSA ® cannot enhance stability in all driving situations
and does not control the entire braking system. You
still need to drive and corner at speeds appropriate
for the conditions and always leave a sufficient
margin of safety.
The main function of the VSA ® system is generally
known as Electronic Stability Control (ESC). The
system also includes a traction control function.
VSA® System
Indicator

415
uuWhen Driving uIntelligent Variable Torque Management (i-VTM4TM) AWD System*
Driving
Intelligent Variable Torque Management (i-VTM4TM)
AWD System*
The Intelligent Variable To rque Management (i-VTM4TM) AWD System is a full time
all wheel drive system that automatically controls and transfers varying amount of
engine torque to all wheels independently according to the driving conditions.
You still need to exercise the same care when accelerating, steering, and braking
that you would in a two wheel drive vehicle.
Avoid continuously driving on slippery surfaces where a wheel is likely to spin out,
and do not drive if the All-wheel drive ( AWD) Indicator starts blinking. Driving
continuously under such conditions can damage the system’s torque distribution
unit.
If the All-wheel drive (AWD ) Indicator blinks while driving, it indicates the
differential temperature is too high. If this happens, pull to the side of the road
when it is safe, shift to park, and idle the engine until the indicator goes out. If the
indicator does not go out, take your vehi cle to a dealer to have it checked.1Intelligent Variable Torq ue Management (i-VTM4TM) AWD
System*
NOTICE
Do not continuously spin the front tires of your
vehicle. Continuously spinning the front tires can
cause transmission or re ar differential damage.
The Intelligent Variable Torque Management (i-
VTM4
TM) AWD System may not function properly if
tire type and size are mixed. Make sure to use the
same size and type of tire , and the air pressures as
specified. 2 Tire and Wheel Replacement P. 522
* Not available on all models

Continued443
uuHonda Sensing ®u Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC)
Driving
The system may automatically shut off and the ACC indicator will come on under
certain conditions. Some examples of these conditions are listed below. Other
conditions may reduce some of the ACC functions.
2 Front Sensor Camera P. 465
2 Radar Sensor P. 467
■Environmental conditions
Driving in bad weather (r ain, fog, snow, etc.).
■Roadway conditions
Driving on a snowy or wet roadway (obscured lane marking, vehicle tracks, reflected
lights, road spra y, high contrast).
■Vehicle conditions
• The outside of the windshield is blocked by dirt, mud, leaves, wet snow, etc.
• An abnormal tire or wheel condition (wrong size, varied size or construction,
improperly inflated, co mpact spare tire, etc.).
• The camera temperature gets too high.
• The parking brake is applied.
• The front grille is dirty.
• The vehicle is tilted due to a heavy load or suspension modifications.
• Tire chains are installed.
• The vehicle is towing a trailer.
■ACC Conditions and Limitations1ACC Conditions and Limitations
If you need the radar sensor to be repaired, or
removed, or the front grille is strongly impacted, turn
off the system by pressing the MAIN button and take
your vehicle to a dealer.
Have your vehicle checked by a dealer if you find any
unusual behavior of the system (e.g., the warning
message appears too frequently).

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uuHonda Sensing ®u Lane Keeping Assist System (LKAS)
Driving
■Roadway conditions
• Driving on a snowy or wet roadway (obs cured lane marking, vehicle tracks,
reflected lights, road spray, high contrast).
• Driving on a road with temporary lane markings.
• Faint, multiple, or varied lane markings are visible on the roadway due to road
repairs or old lane markings.
• The roadway has merging, split, or crossing lines (e.g., such as at an intersection
or crosswalk).
• The lane markings are extremely narrow, wide, or changing.
• The vehicle in front of you is driving near the lane lines.
• The road is hilly or the vehicle is approaching the crest of a hill.
• Driving on rough or unpaved roads, or over bumpy surfaces.
Faded lines Duplicate lines Tire tracks
Very wide or narrow traffic lane

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uuHonda Sensing ®u Road Departure Mitigation System
Driving
■Roadway conditions
• Driving on a snowy or wet roadway (obs cured lane marking, vehicle tracks,
reflected lights, road spray, high contrast).
• Driving on a road with temporary lane markings.
• Faint, multiple, or varied lane markings are visible on the roadway due to road
repairs or old lane markings.
• The roadway has merging, split, or crossing lines (e.g., such as at an intersection
or crosswalk).
• The lane markings are extremely narrow, wide, or changing.
• The vehicle in front of you is driving near the lane lines.
• The road is hilly or the vehicle is approaching the crest of a hill.
• Driving on rough or unpaved roads, or over bumpy surfaces.
• When objects on the road (curb, guard rail, pylons, etc.) are recognized as white
lines (or yellow lines).
• Driving on roads with double lines.
■Vehicle conditions
• Headlight lenses are dirty or the headlights are not properly adjusted.
• The outside of the windshield is streake d or blocked by dirt, mud, leaves, wet
snow, etc.
• The inside of the windshield is fogged.
• The camera temperature gets too high.
• An abnormal tire or wheel condition (wrong size, varied size or construction,
improperly inflated, comp act spare tire, etc.).
• The vehicle is tilted due to a heav y load or suspension modifications.
• When tire chains are installed.
• The vehicle is towing a trailer.

uuParking Your Vehicle uCross Traffic Monitor*
478
Driving
The system activates when:
• The power mode is in ON.
• The Cross Traffic Monitor is turned on.
2 Cross Traffic Monitor On and Off P. 480
•The transmission is in (R.
• Your vehicle is moving at 3 mph (5 km/h) or
lower.
When a vehicle is detected approaching from a rear corner, Cross Traffic Monitor
alerts you with a buzzer and a displayed warning.
The system will not detect a vehicle that approaches from directly behind your
vehicle, nor will it provide alerts about a detected vehicle when it moves directly
behind your vehicle.
The system does not provide alerts for a vehicle that is moving away from your
vehicle, and it may alert for pedestri ans, bicycles, or stationary objects.
■How the System Works1Cross Traffic Monitor*
Cross Traffic Monitor may not detect or may delay
alerting an approach ing vehicle, or may alert without
an approaching vehicle under the following
conditions:
•An obstacle, such as a nother vehicle and a wall,
near your vehicle’s rear bumper, is blocking the
radar sensor’s scope.
•Your vehicle is moving at the speed of about 3 mph
(5 km/h) or higher.
•A vehicle is approaching at the speed other than
between about 6 mph (10 km/h) and 16 mph
(25 km/h).
•The system picks up external interference such as
other radar sensors from an other vehicle or strong
radio wave transmitted fr om a facility nearby.
•Either corner of the rear bumper is covered with
snow, ice, mud or dirt.
•When there is bad weather.
•Your vehicle is on an incline.
•Your vehicle is tilted due to a heavy load in the rear.•Your vehicle is reversing towards a wall, a pole, a
vehicle, and so on.
The rear bumper or the sens ors have been improperly
repaired or the rear bum per has been deformed.
Have your vehicle checked by a dealer.
For proper operation, always keep the rear bumper
corner area clean.
Do not cover the rear bumper corner area with labels
or stickers of any kind.
Radar sensors:
Underneath the rear bumper
corners
* Not available on all models

488
Maintenance
Before Performing Maintenance
Inspection and Maintenance
For your safety, perform all listed inspections and maintenance to keep your vehicle
in good condition. If you become aware of an y abnormality (noise, smell, insufficient
brake fluid, oil residue on the ground, etc.), have your vehicle inspected by a dealer.
(Note, however, that service at a dealer is not mandatory to keep your warranties in
effect.)
■Routine inspections
Perform inspections before long distance tri ps, when washing the vehicle, or when
refueling.
2 Maintenance P. 25
■Periodic inspections
• Check the brake fluid level monthly.
2 Checking the Brake Fluid P. 507
•Check the tire pressure monthly. Examin e the tread for wear and foreign objects.
2Checking and Maintaining Tires P. 516
•Check the operation of the exterior lights monthly.
2 Replacing Light Bulbs P. 508
•Check the condition of the wiper bl ades at least every six months.
2Checking and Maintaining Wiper Blades P. 514
■Types of Inspection and Maintenance
1Inspection and Maintenance
Maintenance, replacement, or repair of
emissions control devices and systems may be
done by any automotive repair establishment or
individuals using parts that are “certified” to
EPA standards.
According to state and fede ral regulations, failure to
perform maintenance on the maintenance main
items marked with # will not void your emissions
warranties. However, all ma intenance services should
be performed in accordan ce with the intervals
indicated by the mult i-information display.
2 Maintenance Service Items P. 494
If you want to perform complex maintenance tasks
that require more skills a nd tools, you can purchase a
subscription to the Service Express website at
www.techinfo.honda.com .
2 Authorized Manuals P. 584
If you want to perform ma intenance yourself, make
sure that you have the necessary tools and skills first.
After performing maintenanc e, update the records in
the separate maintenance booklet.
U.S. models