HONDA CR-V 2004 RD4-RD7 / 2.G Owners Manual

Your Honda is equipped with disc
brakes at all f our wheels. A power
assist helps reduce the ef f ort needed
on the brake pedal. The ABS (on
vehicles equipped with ABS) helps
you retain steering control when
braking very hard.
Resting your f oot on the pedal keeps
the brakes applied lightly, builds up
heat, and reduces their ef f ectiveness.
It also keeps your brake lights on all
the time, conf using drivers behind
you.Constant application of the brakes
when going down a long hill builds
up heat and reduces their ef f ective-
ness. Use the engine to assist the
brakes by taking your f oot of f the
accelerator and downshif ting to a
lower gear.
Check your brakes af ter driving
through deep water. Apply the
brakes moderately to see if they f eel
normal. If not, apply them gently and
f requently until they do. Be extra
cautious and alert in your driving.
The hydraulic system that operates
the brakes has two separate circuits.
Each circuit works diagonally across
the vehicle (the lef t-f ront brake is
connected with the right-rear brake,
etc.). If one circuit should develop a
problem, you will still have braking
at two wheels.
Braking System
Driving
Braking System Design
147
Front

If the brake pads need replacing, you
will hear a distinctive, metallic
screeching sound when you apply
the brake pedal. If you do not have
the brake pads replaced, they will
screech all the time. It is normal f or
the brakes to occasionally squeal or
squeak when you apply them.The ABS also balances the f ront-to-
rear braking distribution according
to vehicle loading.
this def eats the purpose of the ABS.
Let the ABS work f or you by always
keeping f irm, steady pressure on the
brake pedal as you steer away from
the hazard. This is sometimes
ref erred to as ‘‘stomp and steer.’’You will f eel a pulsation in the brake
pedal when the ABS activates, and
you may hear some noise. This is
normal: it is the ABS rapidly
pumpingthebrakes.Ondry
pavement, you will need to press on
thebrakepedalveryhardbeforethe
ABS activates. However, you may
feel the ABS activate immediately if
you are trying to stop on snow or ice.
The Anti-lock Brake System (ABS)
helps prevent the brakes f rom
locking up and helps you retain
steering control by pumping the
brakes rapidly, much f aster than a
person can do it.
You should never pump the brake pedal;
Standard f or EX model in the U.S., and
EX and EX-L models in Canada
Driving
Brake Wear Indicators Anti-lock Brakes
Braking System, Anti-lock Brakes (ABS)
148

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The ABS is self -checking each time
the vehicle is started and moved.
The ABS indicator will come on if
anything goes wrong. If the ABS
indicator comes on, the brakes still
work like a conventional system, but
without anti-lock. You should have a
dealer inspect your vehicle as soon
as possible. it only helps with steering
control during braking. You should
always maintain a saf e f ollowing
distance f rom other vehicles.
such as trying to take a
corner too f ast or making a sudden
lane change. Always drive at a safe,
prudent speed f or the road and
weather conditions.
Always steer moderately
when you are braking hard. Severe
or sharp steering wheel movement
can still cause your vehicle to veer
into oncoming traffic or off the road. on loose or
uneven surf aces, such as gravel or
snow, than a vehicle without anti-
lock. Slow down and allow a greater
distance between vehicles under
those conditions.
Anti-lock Brakes (ABS)
Driving
ABS Indicator A BS does not reduce the time or
distance it takes to stop the
vehicle;
A BS will not prevent a skid that
results f rom changing direction
abruptly,
A BS cannot prevent a loss of
stability.A vehicle with A BS may require a
longer distance to stopImport ant Saf et y Reminders
149
ABS INDICATOR
U.S. indicator shown

µµ The maximum
allowable weight of the vehicle, all
occupants, all cargo and the tongue
load is 4,320 lbs (1,960 kg).
The maximum
allowable weight on the vehicle axles
are 2,160 lbs (980 kg) on the f ront
axle, and 2,250 lbs (1,020 kg) on the
rear axle.
Your vehicle has been designed to
primarily carry passengers and their
cargo. You can use it to tow a trailer
if you caref ully observe the load
limits, use the proper equipment, and
f ollow the guidelines in this section.
Be sure to read the
on page
if you plan to tow of f paved
surf aces.
Thebestwaytoconfirmthatall
loads are within limits is to check
them at a public scale.
159
Driving Of f -
Highway Guidelines section
Towing Weight Limits
Driving
Gross Vehicle Weight Rating
(GVWR)
Gross Axle Weight Ratings
(GA WR)
150
Exceeding any load limit or
improperly loading your vehicle
and trailer can cause a crash in
which you can be seriously hurt
or killed.
Check the loading of your
vehicle and trailer carefully
beforestartingtodrive.

The total
weight of the trailer and
everything loaded in it must not
exceed 1,500 lbs (680 kg). Towing
a load that is too heavy can
seriously af f ect your vehicle’s
handling and perf ormance. It can
also damage the engine and
drivetrain. The weight that
the tongue of a f ully-loaded trailer
puts on the hitch should be
approximately 10 percent of the
trailer weight. Too little tongue
load can make the trailer unstable
and cause it to sway. Too much
tongue load reduces f ront-tire
traction and steering control.
Towing Weight Limits
Driving
Load Limits
T otal T railer Weight: T ongue L oad:
151

Towing generally requires a variety
of supplemental equipment. To
ensure the best quality, we
recommend that you purchase
Honda equipment whenever possible.
Discuss any additional needs with
your trailer sales or rental agency,
and make sure all equipment is
properly installed, maintained, and
also meets state regulations.Any hitch used on your vehicle must
be properly bolted to the underbody.
Always use saf ety chains. Make sure
they are secured to both the trailer
and hitch, and that they cross under
the tongue so they can catch the
trailer if it becomes unhitched.
Leave enough slack to allow the
trailer to turn corners easily, but do
not let the chains drag on the ground.
There are two common types of
trailer brakes: surge and electric.
Surge brakes are common f or boat
trailers, since the brakes will get wet. Honda requires that any trailer with
a total trailer weight of 1,000 lbs (455
kg) or more have its own brakes.
Electric brakes must be
electronically actuated. Do not
attempt to tap into your vehicle’s
hydraulic system. See your brake
manuf acturer f or more inf ormation
on installing electric brakes.
Towing a Trailer
Driving
T owing Equipment and
A ccessoriesHitches
Saf et y Chains Trailer Brakes
152

µµ
CONT INUED
Check trailer light requirements f or
the areas where you plan to tow. Many states and Canadian provinces
require special outside mirrors when
towing a trailer. Even if they don’t,
you should install special mirrors if
you cannot clearly see behind you, or
if the trailer creates a blind spot.
Askyourtrailersalesorrental
agency if any other items are
recommended or required f or your
towing situation.
Your vehicle has a trailer lighting
connector located behind the lef t
side panel in the cargo area. Ref er to
thedrawingaboveforthewiring
color code and purpose of each pin. If you use a non-Honda trailer
lighting harness and converter, you
can get the connector and pins that
mate with the connector in your
vehicle f rom your Honda dealer.
Connector 98530-00006-00
Terminal Kit 07JAZ-001-030A
Towing a Trailer
Driving
Trailer Lights
Trailer Mirrors
153
GROUND
(BLACK)LEFT TURN SIGNAL
(GREEN/RED)
RIGHT TURN SIGNAL
(GREEN/YELLOW) BRAKE LIGHT
(WHITE/BLACK)TAILLIGHT
(RED/YELLOW)
BACK-UP LIGHT
(WHITE/BLACK)

When preparing to tow, and bef ore
driving away, be sure to check the
f ollowing:The vehicle has been properly
serviced, and the tires, brakes,
suspension, and cooling system
are in good operating condition.
If you tow f requently, f ollow the
Severe Conditions maintenance
schedule.
The trailer has been properly
serviced and is in good condition.
Thehitch,safetychains,andany
other attachments are secure.
Allitemsonandinthetrailerare
properly secured and cannot shif t
while you drive. The lights and brakes on your
vehicle and the trailer are working
properly.
Your vehicle tires and spare are
properly inf lated (see page ),
and the trailer tires and spare are
inflated as recommended by the
trailer maker.
All weights and loads are within
limits (see page ). 151 190
Towing a Trailer
Driving
Pre-T ow Checklist
154

CONT INUED
The added weight, length, and
height of a trailer will af f ect your
vehicle’s handling and perf ormance,
so driving with a trailer requires
some special driving skills and
techniques.Make turns more slowly and wider
than normal. The trailer tracks a
smaller arc than your vehicle, and it
canhitorrunoversomethingthe
vehicle misses. Allow more time and
distance f or braking. Do not brake or
turn suddenly as this could cause the
trailer to jackknif e or turn over.When climbing hills, closely watch
your temperature gauge. If it nears
the red mark, turn the air
conditioning of f , reduce speed and, if
necessary, pull to the side of the
road to let the engine cool.
If the automatic transmission shif ts
f requently between 3rd and 4th
gears while going up a hill, turn of f
the Over drive (O/D) mode (see
page ).
If youmuststopwhenfacinguphill,
use the f oot brake or parking brake.
Do not try to hold the vehicle in
placebypressingontheaccelerator,
as this can cause the automatic
transmission to overheat.
Foryoursafetyandthesafetyof
others,taketimetopracticedriving
maneuvers bef ore heading f or the
open road, and f ollow the guidelines
discussed below. Drive slower than normal in all
driving situations, and obey posted
speed limits f or vehicles with trailers.
If you have an automatic
transmission, use over drive (O/D)
when towing a trailer on level roads.
Turn of f the over drive (O/D) mode
when towing a trailer in hilly terrain.
(see ‘‘
’’ in the next
column f or additional gear
inf ormation.) 143
Trailer Driving Tips
Driving
Driving Saf ely With a T railerT owing Speeds and Gears
Making T urns and Braking Driving on Hills
Driving on Hills
155

Always drive slowly and have
someone guide you when backing up.
Grip the of the steering
wheel; then turn the wheel to the lef t
to get the trailer to move to the lef t,
andturnthewheelrighttomovethe
trailer to the right.
Crosswinds and air turbulence
caused by passing trucks can disrupt
your steering and cause trailer
swaying. When being passed by a
large vehicle, keep a constant speed
and steer straight ahead. Do not try
to make quick steering or braking
corrections.Follow all normal precautions when
parking, including f irmly setting the
parking brake and putting the
transmission in Park (automatic) or
in 1st or Reverse (manual). Also,
place wheel chocks at each of the
trailer’s tires.
When driving down hills, reduce
your speed and shif t down to 3rd
gear on the manual transmission,
and turn off the Over drive (O/D)
mode on the automatic transmission.
Do not ‘‘ride’’ the brakes.
bottom
Trailer Driving Tips
Driving
Backing Up
Handling Crosswinds and Buf f et ing Parking
Remember: It will take longer to
slow down and stop when towing
atrailer.
156