Honda Ridgeline (2023 year). Manual in english

Towing a Trailer

Towing Behind a Motorhome

382

Driving

•

Monitor your temperature gauge. If it nears the

mark, turn off the climate

control system and reduce speed. Pull to the side of the road safely to cool down
the engine if necessary.

•

Shift to the

(

position if the transmission shifts frequently.

When retrieving a boat from the water, we recommend using the sequential mode

(

to utilize the transmissions lower gears.

Towing Behind a Motorhome

Your vehicle is not designed to be towed behind a motor home. If your vehicle needs
to be towed in an emergency, refer to the emergency towing information.

Emergency Towing

P. 568

■

Driving in Hilly Terrain

■

Retrieving a Boat

Driving in Hilly Terrain

If the automatic transmission fluid temperature
exceeds the specified limit, the transmission will also
automatically up shift, even in the sequential mode.

383

Driving

Off-Highway Driving Guidelines

General Information

Your vehicle has been designed primarily for use on pavement, however, its higher
ground clearance allows you to occasionally travel on unpaved roads. It is not
designed for trail-blazing, or other challenging off-highway activities.

If you decide to drive on unpaved roads, you will find that it requires somewhat
different driving skills and that your vehicle will handle somewhat differently than it
does on pavement. Pay attention to the precautions and tips in this section, and get
acquainted with your vehicle before leaving the pavement.

Important Safety Precautions

To avoid loss of control or rollover, be sure to follow all precautions and
recommendations:

•

Be sure to store cargo properly and do not exceed your cargo load limits.

Maximum Load Limit

P. 367

•

Whenever you drive, make sure you and your passengers always wear seat belts.

•

Keep your speed low, and never go faster than the conditions allow.

•

It’s up to you to continually assess the situation and drive within the limits.

Off-Highway Driving Guidelines

Failure to operate your vehicle correctly might result
in a crash or a rollover.

Important Handling Information

P. 34

Precautions While Driving

P. 392

Spinning the tires excessively can also damage the
Intelligent VTM4 (i-VTM4) system.

WARNING

Improperly operating this vehicle on or off-
pavement can cause a crash or rollover in
which you and your passengers could be
seriously injured or killed.

•

Follow all instructions and guidelines in
this owner’s manual.

•

Keep your speed low, and don’t drive
faster than conditions permit.

384

Off-Highway Driving Guidelines

Avoiding Trouble

Driving

Avoiding Trouble

•

Check Out Your Vehicle

before you leave the pavement and make sure that all

scheduled maintenance has been completed. Pay special attention to the
condition of the tires, and check the tire pressures.

•

Remember

the route you choose presents limits (too steep or bumpy), you have

limits (driving skill and comfort), and your vehicle has limits (traction, stability, and
power). Failing to recognize these limits will likely put you and your passengers in
a hazardous situation.

•

Accelerating and Braking

should be done slowly and gradually. Trying to start

or stop too fast can cause a loss of traction and you could lose control.

•

Avoiding Obstacles and Debris

in the road reduces the likelihood of a rollover

or damage to your suspension or other components.

•

Driving on Slopes

increases your risk of a rollover, particularly if you attempt to

drive across a slope that is too steep. Going straight up or down a slope is usually
the safest. If you can’t clearly see all conditions or obstacles on a slope, walk it
before you drive it. If there is any doubt whether you can safely pass, don’t try it.
Find another route. If you get stuck when climbing, do not try to turn around.
Back down slowly following the same route you took up the hill.

•

Crossing a Stream

- Avoid driving through deep water. If you encounter water

in your route (a small stream or large puddle, for example), evaluate it carefully
before going ahead. Make sure it is shallow, flowing slowly, and has firm ground
underneath. If you are not sure of the depth or the ground, turn around and find
another route. Driving through deep water can also damage your vehicle. The
water can get into the transmission and differential, diluting the lubricant and
causing an eventual failure. It can also wash the grease out of the wheel bearings.

•

If You Get Stuck

, carefully go in the direction that you think will get you

unstuck. Do not spin the tires as this will only make things worse and could
damage the transmission. If you are unable to free yourself, your vehicle will need
to be towed. Front and rear tow hooks are provided for this purpose.

385

Continued

Driving

When Driving

Starting the Engine

Make sure the parking brake is applied.

Depress the brake pedal.

Press the

ENGINE START/STOP

button

without depressing the accelerator pedal.

Starting the Engine

Keep your foot firmly on the brake pedal when
starting the engine.

The engine is harder to start in cold weather and in
thinner air found at altitudes above 8,000 feet (2,400
meters).

When starting the engine in cold weather, turn off all
electrical accessories such as the lights, climate
control system, and rear defogger in order to reduce
battery drain.

If you live in a region where winter is extremely cold,
an engine block heater will improve starting and
warming of the engine. Consult a dealer for details.

If the exhaust system sounds abnormal or you can
smell exhaust gas inside the vehicle, have your vehicle
checked by a dealer. There may be a problem with
the engine or exhaust system.

Bring the keyless remote close to the

ENGINE

START/STOP

button if the battery in the keyless

remote is weak.

If the Keyless Remote Battery is Weak

P. 550

The engine may not start if the keyless remote is
subjected to strong radio waves.

Do not hold the

ENGINE START/STOP

button to

start the engine.
If the engine does not start, wait at least 30 seconds
before starting the engine again.

Parking Brake

Brake Pedal

Continued

387

When Driving

Starting the Engine

Driving

You can remotely start the engine using the keyless remote.

■

Remote Engine Start

Remote Engine Start

The remote engine start may violate local laws.
Before using the remote engine start, check your
local laws.

If there are buildings and obstacles between your
vehicle and the remote, the range will be reduced.
This distance may vary by external electrical
interference.

WARNING

Carbon monoxide gas is toxic and can
rapidly accumulate in closed or even partly
enclosed areas.

Breathing it can cause unconsciousness and
even kill you.

Never use the remote engine starter with
the vehicle parked in a garage or other
areas with limited ventilation.

When Driving

Starting the Engine

388

Driving

■

To start the engine

When started remotely, the engine automatically shuts off after 10 minutes of idling
and/or the brake pedal and

ENGINE START/STOP

button have not been pressed

simultaneously.
To extend the run time for another 10 minutes during the first run, press the

button, then press and hold the

button.

Some exterior lights flash six times if a 10-minute extension request was
transmitted successfully.

Remote Engine Start

The engine may not start by the remote engine start
if:

•

You have disabled a remote engine start setting
using the audio/information screen.

Customized Features

P. 299

•

You do not press and hold the

button

within 5 seconds after the

button is pressed.

•

The power mode is not in VEHICLE OFF.

•

The transmission is in a position other than

(

•

The hood is open, or any door or the trunk is
unlocked.

•

You have already used the remote twice to start
the engine.

•

Another registered keyless remote is in the vehicle.

•

There is any antenna failure.

•

The door is unlocked with the built-in key.

•

The engine oil pressure is low.

•

The engine coolant temperature is extremely high.

•

The security system alarm is not set.

Press the

button, then press and hold

the

button.

Some exterior lights flash once.

LED: Blinks when any button is pressed.

Go within the range,
and try again.

Some exterior lights flash six
times if the engine starts
successfully.

Exterior lights will not flash if
the engine does not start.

Continued

389

When Driving

Starting the Engine

Driving

■

To stop the engine

Remote Engine Start

The engine may stop while it is running if:

•

You do not start the vehicle within 10 minutes of
starting the engine with the keyless remote.

•

The engine is stopped by using the keyless remote.

•

There is any antenna failure.

•

The security system alarm is not set.

•

The door is unlocked with the built-in key.

•

The hood is open, or any door, or the trunk is
unlocked.

•

The transmission is in a position other than

(

•

The engine coolant temperature is extremely high.

•

The battery is low.

•

The engine oil pressure is low.

•

The Malfunction Indicator Lamp comes on if there
is a problem with the emissions control systems.

Press and hold the

button for one second.

Go within the range, and try again.

The exterior lights will not flash when the remote is out of
the keyless access system range.
The engine will not stop.

The exterior lights flash once if the engine stops
successfully.

When Driving

Starting the Engine

390

Driving

Remote Engine Start

While the engine is running, the vehicle will
automatically precondition inside the vehicle.
When it is warm outside:

•

The climate control system is activated in
recirculation mode.

•

The seat ventilation

is activated.

When it is cold outside:

•

The defroster is activated at a moderately warm
temperature.

•

The rear defogger and door mirror heaters

are

activated.

•

The seat heaters

and heated steering wheel

are

activated.

Heated Steering Wheel

P. 187

Front Seat Heaters

P. 188

Front Seat Heaters / Ventilators

P. 189

Rear Seat Heaters

P. 190

* Not available on all models

391

When Driving

Starting the Engine

Driving

Depress and hold the brake pedal, then press the

ENGINE START/STOP

button.

Keeping your right foot on the brake pedal, release the parking brake. Check that
the parking brake indicator has gone off.

Parking Brake

P. 468

Put the transmission into

(

. Select

(

when reversing.

Gradually release the brake pedal and gently depress the accelerator pedal to pull
away.

■

Hill start assist system

Hill start assist keeps the brake engaged briefly to help prevent the vehicle from
rolling on inclines as you move your foot from the brake pedal to the accelerator.

Put the transmission into

(

, or

(

when facing uphill, or

(

when facing downhill,

then release the brake pedal.

You can turn the engine off when the vehicle is completely stopped.

Put the transmission into

(

Press the

ENGINE START/STOP

button.

■

Starting to Drive

■

Stopping the Engine

Starting to Drive

The engine stops when the transmission is taken out
of

(

before the

ENGINE START/STOP

button is

pressed. Follow step 1 when starting to drive.

When the engine was started using the keyless remote

When the engine was started in any case

Hill start assist system

Hill start assist may not prevent the vehicle from
rolling downhill on a very steep or slippery slope, and
will not operate on small inclines.

Hill start assist will operate even when VSA

switched off.

Hill start assist is not a replacement for the parking
brake.

392

When Driving

Precautions While Driving

Driving

Precautions While Driving

Utility vehicles have a significantly higher rollover rate than other types of vehicles.
To prevent rollovers or loss of control:

•

Take corners at slower speeds than you would with a passenger vehicle.

•

Avoid sharp turns and abrupt maneuvers whenever possible.

•

Do not modify your vehicle in any way that you would raise the center of gravity.

•

Do not carry heavy cargo on the roof.

Never carry more than 165 lbs (75 kg) of cargo on the roof rack (Honda accessory).

Avoid driving in deep water and on flooded roads. This can damage the engine or
driveline, or cause electrical component failure.

If there is a strong impact with something under the vehicle, stop in a safe location.
Check the underside of the vehicle for damage or any fluid leaks.

■

Driving Guidelines for Your Utility Vehicle

■

In Rain

■

Other Precautions

Precautions While Driving

NOTICE

Do not select a shift button while pressing the
accelerator pedal. You could damage the
transmission.

NOTICE

If you repeatedly turn the steering wheel at an
extremely low speed, or hold the steering wheel in
the full left or right position for a while, the electric
power steering (EPS) system heats up. The system
goes into a protective mode, and limits its
performance. The steering wheel becomes harder
and harder to operate. Once the system cools down,
the EPS system is restored. Repeated operation under
these conditions can eventually damage the system.

If the power mode is set to ACCESSORY while
driving, the engine will shut down and all steering
and brake power assist functions will stop, making it
difficult to control the vehicle.

Do not select

(

while driving as you will lose engine

braking (and acceleration) performance.

During the first 600 miles (1,000 km) of operation,
avoid sudden acceleration or full throttle operation so
as not to damage the engine or powertrain.

Avoid hard braking for the first 200 miles (300 km)
after purchasing your new vehicle or replacing the
brake pads or rotors, to allow for proper break-in.

394

When Driving

Automatic Transmission

Driving

Automatic Transmission

When the engine runs at higher idle speeds, the creeping force increases.
Keep the brake pedal firmly depressed when stopped.

Quickly depressing the accelerator pedal while driving uphill may cause the
transmission to drop to a lower gear, unexpectedly increasing vehicle speed. Depress
the accelerator pedal carefully, especially on slippery roads and curves.

■

Creeping

■

Kickdown

395

When Driving

Shifting

Continued

Driving

Shifting

Change the shift position in accordance with your driving needs.

■

Shift button positions

Shifting

To prevent malfunction and unintended engagement:

•

Do not spill any liquids on or around shift buttons.

•

Do not place or drop any objects on or around shift
buttons.

•

Do not let passengers or children operate the shift
buttons.

The beeper sounds and the message appears on the
multi-information display when you depress the
accelerator pedal with the transmission in

(

Multi-Information Display Warning and
Information Messages

P. 96

Put the transmission into

(

with the brake

pedal depressed.

WARNING

The vehicle can roll away if left unattended
without confirming that Park is engaged.

A vehicle that rolls away could cause a crash
resulting in serious injury or death.

Always keep your foot on the brake pedal
until you have confirmed that

(

is shown

on the shift position Indicator.

Park

Used when parking or starting the engine
Transmission is locked

Reverse

Used when reversing

Neutral

Transmission is not locked

Drive/S Position

Each time you press the

button, the mode

switches between Drive and S position mode.
Used for:

●

Normal driving (gears change between 1st
and 9th automatically)

●

Temporarily driving in the sequential mode

●

Automatically changing gears between 1st
and 8th (8th gear is used only at high speed)

●

Driving in the sequential mode

D/S

Drive

S Position

396

When Driving

Shifting

Driving

■

(

(parking) button

Park your vehicle in a safe place with the
power mode in ON, then apply the brakes and
press the

(

button to put the transmission in

Park.
The indicators on the sides of the

(

button

come on.

(

Button

Continued

397

When Driving

Shifting

Driving

■

Shift Operation

Shift Operation

NOTICE

When you change

(

and vice versa, depress

the brake pedal to come to a complete stop, then
select the intended shift position while maintaining
brake pressure.

Use the shift position indicator and the shift button
indicator to check the shift position before selecting a
shift button.

If the indicator of the currently selected shift position,
or all the shift position indicators are blinking
simultaneously, there is a problem with the
transmission.
Avoid sudden acceleration and have the transmission
checked by a dealer as soon as possible.

The fuel supply may be cut off if you drive at engine
speeds in or over the tachometer’s red zone (engine
speed limit). If this happens, you may experience a
slight jolt.

When the engine speed is increased while the
transmission is in

(

, the fuel supply may

be cut off even without the engine speed entering
the tachometer’s red zone.

When shifting positions in extremely low
temperatures (-22°F/-30°C), there may be a short
delay before the shift position is indicated in the
display. Always confirm you are in the correct shift
position before driving.

Shift Position Indicator
(Transmission System Indicator)

Tachometer’s Red Zone

Press the

(

button.

Pull back the

(

button.

Press the

(

button.

Press the

button.

Each time you press the button,
the mode switches between Drive
and S Position mode.

D/S

Shift Button
Indicator

(sequential mode) Indicator

Sequential Mode Gear Selection
Indicator

Honda Ridgeline (2023 year). Manual in english - page 24