Honda Passport (2002 year). Instruction

Off-Road Precautions

For your safety and the safety of

your passengers, please follow

these precautions:

Don't Modify Your Vehicle

We urge you not to install

aftermarket "lift kits," oversize

wheels and tires, or alter your

vehicle in any other way that

would change the vehicle's

suspension or ride height. Such

modifications can make handling

difficult and unpredictable, and

they could cause you to lose

control, roll over and be seriously

hurt or killed.

Wear Seat Belts

Seat belts are just as important

off-road as on pavement. Seat

belts can hold you in position on

rough and bumpy trails and when

driving on hills. If you don't wear

your seat belt, you could bounce

around and strike the interior of

the vehicle, or even lose control

and crash. Whenever you drive,

make sure you and your

passengers always wear seat belts.

If children or infants are along for

the ride, see that they are properly

secured, and never let a passenger

ride in the cargo compartment. In

a rollover crash, an unbelted

person is more likely to die than a

person wearing a seat belt.

Drive Smart

Off-road surfaces and conditions

can change quickly and

unexpectedly. It takes time to

learn how to read the terrain and

develop off-road driving skills. So

always use good judgment. Don't

drive faster than conditions

warrant, and if you ever feel

uncomfortable about a given

situation, don't do it.

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Don't Drink and Drive

Alcohol is a leading cause of

death and injury off-road as well

as on-road. Alcohol reduces your

ability to think clearly and react

quickly. Fatigue and drugs, legal

or illegal, can have similar effects.

If you aren't sober or in good

physical and mental condition,

don't drive.

Getting Ready to Drive Off-Road

Before leaving on a brief off-road

excursion or an extended

overnight trip, you need to make

sure you and your vehicle are both

prepared.

Planning a Trip

When making your plans,

remember that it's best to travel

with at least one other vehicle in

case you have trouble, and always

let someone else know where

you're going and when you

expect to return.

Whatever your destination, we

recommend that you get maps of

your route so you can study the

terrain, talk with other drivers

who are familiar with the location,

and find out in advance if you

need any special permits. Then,

shortly before you leave, get the

latest weather predictions for your

destination, and check on any

closures that could affect your

plans.

There are many sources that can

help you plan a trip. The U.S.

Forest Service, Bureau of Land

Management, motor vehicle

bureaus, and park and recreation

departments can provide maps

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and other useful information.

Recreational vehicle clubs can put

you in touch with other drivers,

and off-road magazines publish

first-hand descriptions of driving

locations.

To help keep off-road driving

areas open, stay on roads, trails

and open areas approved for

off-highway vehicles (OHVs).

Please respect no trespassing

signs, and don't drive on private

property without permission.

Check Out Your Vehicle

Off-road driving can be hard on a

vehicle, requiring extra attention

to maintenance. Before driving

off-road, be sure all scheduled

maintenance and service has been

done, and that you have also

inspected your vehicle. Pay

special attention to the condition

of the tires and use a gauge to

check the tire pressures.

Improperly inflated tires can be

more easily damaged by rocks

and other hard or sharp objects.

Do not let air out of your tires

unless you can reinflate them

soon after returning to pavement,

and remember to periodically

inspect the tires for signs of

damage, especially if you hit a

large or sharp rock.

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Carrying Cargo

You'll probably take a cooler,

picnic supplies or other cargo on an

off-road trip. Since some bouncing

is almost inevitable when driving

off-road, it's very important to store

and secure cargo properly. Follow

these guidelines and limits:

The maximum load you can

carry in and on your vehicle

can be found on the chart

opposite.
These figures include the

weight of all occupants, cargo,

accessories, and the tongue

weight if you are towing a

trailer (see next page).

Distribute cargo evenly on the

floor of the cargo area, placing

the heaviest items on the

bottom and as far forward as

possible.

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Secure all items so they cannot

fly forward and injure you or

your passengers if you brake

hard, hit an obstacle, or are

involved in a collision.

If you want to put cargo on the

roof, use a roof rack, secure all

items, and make sure the cargo

does not exceed 200 pounds.

Towing a Trailer

You may be able to safely tow a

lightweight trailer (such as a

motorcycle trailer or small tent

trailer) off-road if you follow

these guidelines:

Do not exceed a trailer weight

of 1,000 pounds (including

cargo) or a tongue weight of

100 pounds. (Tongue weight

should be about 10% of the

trailer weight.)

Try to stay on smooth, level

dirt roads, and avoid driving in

hilly terrain.
Allow extra room for starting,

stopping, and turning.
Slow down if you encounter

bumps or other obstacles.

Extra Equipment and Supplies

We strongly recommend that you

DO NOT carry extra fuel. Gasoline

is highly flammable and

explosive. It cannot be safely

carried inside the vehicle or

strapped to the top or rear. The

best thing to do is fill up your tank

before you leave pavement.

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It's always wise to take along

water, food, blankets, a flashlight,

and matches. You may also want

to take:

A towing rope, strap or chain -

in case you or someone you're

with gets stuck.
Wheel chocks - to help keep

your vehicle from rolling when

you park.
First aid kit - a good idea

whenever you travel far from

medical support.
Flag - to help others see you

(except in forests or areas with

tall bushes).
Portable phone or citizens band

(CB) radio - should you need

to call for help.
Shovel - in case you need to

dig yourself out.

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Off-Road Driving Considerations

When you leave paved roads, you

leave a generally predictable and

orderly world behind. You won't

find lane markers or traffic

signals. No one will be there to

warn you of trouble ahead. It's up

to you to assess situations and

drive within limits. The terrain

has limits (some hills are too

steep, for example). You have

limits (in skills and comfort

level). And off-road vehicles also

have limits (traction, stability, and

power, for instance).

Following are some important tips

on how to deal with some of the

challenges of driving off-road.

Using Your Senses

You need to use your senses a

little differently off-road. Keep

your eyes moving, constantly

watching for obstacles and

evaluating the terrain. Check your

gauges frequently. Listen for

unusual sounds from your engine

and tires. Pay attention to the

smell of overheated brakes. And

when you feel excessive

vibrations or bouncing, the terrain

is telling you to slow down.

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Reading the Terrain
In nature, visual information comes

in unpredictable ways. That means

you need to stay alert, constantly

survey the terrain, and go slow

enough to analyze situations and

make good decisions.

As your eyes search the terrain

ahead, watch for changes in

surface conditions. Surfaces can

vary widely, and traction can

change quite suddenly. One

minute you can be on firm soil

and the next minute in soft sand

or deep mud. A trail or road can

quickly change from level to

bumpy. It can suddenly slope at a

dangerous angle, or even

disappear in an unexpected

drop-off.

Roads and trails aren't banked for

turns, and the edges can be steep

berms or drop-offs. When you

drive down a graded road, watch

ahead for ruts, potholes and

washouts. Some trails can offer

more surprises. A smooth,

inviting trail can suddenly twist

up or down, become very narrow,

be blocked by a fallen tree,

tangled with roots, or dwindle to a

tight dead-end.

Some areas don't have roads or

trails - just wide open spaces

where you must carefully choose

your path.

Controlling Speed
Off-road, the general rule is to

keep your speed low. Of course,

you'll need enough speed to keep

moving forward, especially on

sand, mud, soft snow, and when

starting up a hill. But too much

speed leads to problems.

At higher speeds you have less

time to read the terrain and make

good decisions. You'll also

bounce more, which makes

controlling the vehicle more

difficult. And there's a greater

chance of sliding if you brake or

turn quickly on wet soil, gravel or

ice. In any situation, never go

faster than conditions allow.

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Test your brakes from time to

time to make sure they are

operating properly. This will also

give you a feel for how much

traction you have on a given

surface.

Controlling Steering

Unlike driving on pavement,

off-road terrain has a way of

"kicking back." If you hit a rock,

pothole or a sudden change in

surface, it can make the steering

wheel turn rapidly and

unexpectedly. To maintain

control, hold the outside of the

steering wheel firmly with both

hands. Don't hold the spokes or

hook your thumbs inside the

wheel. You could hurt your hands

as well as lose control.

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Driving Off-Road

Driving

off-road can be hazardous

if you fail to take

the

proper

precautions. For example, you can

have an accident

or roll

over

during maneuvers such

turning,

driving on hills, or

over

obstacles.

The following pages contain

practical tips

basic off-road

operations. They

also

give

important guidelines about

driving on hills, avoiding

obstacles, and other situations you

may

encounter.

Improperly operating this

vehicle off-road can cause an

accident

rollover

which

you and your passengers

could

seriously injured or

killed.

all instructions

and

guidelines

in this booklet.

Keep

your speed low and

don't drive faster than

conditions permit.

Don't take chances and

especially

careful on hills

and rough

terrain.

Starting Off

For

better traction on all

surfaces,

accelerate

slowly

and

gradually

build

up speed. If you

start too

fast on wet

soil, mud, snow or

ice,

you might not have enough

traction to

get underway. On soft

sand,

you

could dig yourself

into

hole.

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Turning

Off-road, the basic turning

technique is to drive at low speed

and gradually adjust the amount

of steering to suit the surface.

You should have no problem

making sharp turns on level

ground - if you keep speed low.

But one thing you should NOT do,

off-road or on pavement, is make

abrupt turns at higher speeds.

With a higher center of gravity,

your vehicle can more easily tip

or roll over in a turn.

Braking

The best off-road braking

technique to use with anti-lock

brakes is to gently depress the

brake pedal at first, then increase

the pressure as more braking is

needed.

Avoid hard braking. Light to

moderate braking is usually all

that is necessary on soft surfaces

such as soft sand, loose dirt or

gravel, powdery snow, or mud.

If you need to brake hard because

of an emergency, apply steady

even pressure to the brake pedal.

Do not pump the brakes; let the

anti-lock braking system pump

them for you. If you pump the

brakes, the anti-lock cannot work

as efficiently, and your stopping

distance may be increased.

Keep in mind that, in general, you

need more time and distance to

brake to a stop when driving

off-road.

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Driving in Hilly Terrain
Hills, and trails through hills,

present some of the greatest

challenges and most serious

hazards off-road. If you're new to

off-road driving, start with gentle

inclines, take time to learn how

your vehicle handles on slopes,

and read the information that

follows. If you're an experienced

off-roader, consider the guidelines

below as important reminders that

can enhance your driving, or even

save your life.

Approaching a Hill

When you approach a hill, you

need to decide whether it's one

that you and your vehicle can

handle. For example, ask yourself:

Is the hill too steep? Is the

incline constant, or are there

places where it gets suddenly

steeper? If a hill is too steep in

any section, you may run out of

power and not be able to

continue forward. If you

accelerate suddenly on a very

steep hill, the vehicle may tip

over backwards.
Is there enough traction for you

to make it to the top? Without

adequate traction,you can stall

or even slide backwards.
Are there obstacles, such as

rocks, ruts or ditches that could

block your path? Hitting a

bump could upset your vehicle,

and turning to avoid an obstacle

could make it roll over.
If there's no safe predetermined

path, can you drive straight up

the hill without turning? Unless

a hill is very gently sloped, it

may not be safe to turn on a hill.
Do you know what's on the

other side of the hill? Once you

reach the top, you'll need a safe

route to get down or out.

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If you don't know the answers to

these questions before beginning

an ascent, stop, walk up the hill

and find out.

If you decide that it is safe to

drive up a hill:

Select a suitable low gear and

firmly grip the steering wheel.

Approach the hill with enough

speed to smoothly start up the

hill.
Maintain a steady speed as you

climb the hill.
Reduce speed as you approach

the top, and watch for other

vehicles that may be

approaching the top from the

other side of the hill.

// You Stall Going Up a Hill

If a hill is steeper than you

expected, traction is poorer,

or you don't maintain sufficient

speed, you may begin to stall. If

that happens:

Consider downshifting if you

are just beginning to slow

down.

If you can't downshift, or if

downshifting doesn't help, stop

the vehicle and set the parking

brake.
If you have passengers, you

may want to have them get out

and move away from the

vehicle.
If you are headed straight up

the hill, shift into reverse,

release the parking brake, and

slowly back straight down the

hill, using the brake pedal to

control speed.
If you are not headed straight

uphill or you don't feel

comfortable backing down,

don't. If the engine is still

running, leave the parking

brake on, shift to Park

(automatic transmission) or

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First (manual transmission),

then turn the engine off. See

that any passengers carefully

get out and clear of the vehicle,

then go get help.

Before driving down a hill, as

with driving up a hill, you need to

evaluate whether you can make it

safely to the bottom and away

from the slope. Ask:

Is the hill too steep to maintain

speed and steering control?

Is the surface too rough or too

slippery?
Can you drive straight down

without turning?
Is there a safe exit when you

reach the bottom of the hill?

If you decide you can safely

descend a hill:

Shift into a low gear. This lets

engine compression (or engine

braking) help control speed and

keep your brakes from

overheating.
Hold the steering wheel firmly

and drive straight down the

hill.
Gently apply the brakes to help

control speed, but do not "ride"

the brakes. If you smell hot

brakes or feel brake fade, shift

to a lower gear or stop and let

the brakes cool down.
Try not to brake hard. If you do

apply the brakes hard, do not

pump the brake pedal. Pumping

does not allow the anti-lock

brake system to work as

Driving Down a Hill

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efficiently, which may increase

your stopping distance.

Driving Across Slopes

There may be times when you

notice a trail begin to slope to one

side or another. Or you may be

driving in open country and see a

hill or slope you want to consider

crossing at an angle. Crossing or

driving on a smooth, low-angle dirt

slope or trail may be no problem.

But before you drive on any sloped

terrain, consider these facts:

A slope that you can drive

straight up or down can be too

steep to drive across.
When you drive straight up or

down a slope, the length of the

wheelbase reduces the chance

of your vehicle tipping over

backward or forward.
When you drive across a slope,

your vehicle's higher center of

gravity and narrower track

increases the chance of tipping

or rolling over.
Driving across a slope puts

more weight on the downhill

wheels, which increases the

chance of tipping.

If you drive across a slope and

an uphill wheel hits a bump, or

if a downhill wheel drops into a

rut or hole, your vehicle will

tip downward even more.

If you can't clearly see all terrain

conditions (good traction, no

bumps, holes or other obstacles, a

safe way down and out, etc.), stop

and walk the slope or trail before

you drive on it. If you have any

doubt whether you can safely

drive across a slope or sloping

trail, don't do it. Find another

route.

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Obstacles

It's very common to encounter

rocks, bumps, holes and logs

off-road. Here are a few tips on

how to deal with them.

Rocks: Large rocks can

damage your suspension or

other components, and even

small, sharp rocks can cut your

tires. Always go slow in rocky

terrain, and carefully maneuver

around any rock that may be

too large.

Bumps and Holes: Large

bumps and holes can bounce

you around and cause you to

lose control or get stuck. Slow

down when the terrain gets

rough so you can keep control

of the vehicle.

Logs: Driving over a large log

might damage your vehicle or

cause you to get stuck. If you

can't drive around the log, you

may be able to back up and

look for a better path.

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Honda Passport (2002 year). Instruction - part 18