HONDA CR-V 2012 RM1, RM3, RM4 / 4.G Owners Manual

uuWhen DrivinguStarting the Engine
240
Driving
1. Keeping your right foot on the brake pedal, release the parking brake. Check that the parking brake indicator has gone off.
2 Parking Brake P. 253
2. Put the shift lever in
(D . Select (R when reversing.
3. Gradually release the brake pedal and gently depress the accelerator pedal to pull
away.
■ Hill start assist system
Hill start assist feature helps to prevent the vehicle from rolling on inclines as you
move your foot from the brake pedal to the accelerator.
Move the shift lever to
(D or (d when facing uphill, or (R when facing downhill,
then release the brake pedal.
The brakes remain engaged briefly as you release the brake pedal.
■Starting to Drive
1Hill 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 is not a replacement for the parking
brake.
Hill start assist will operate even when VSA ® is
switched off.

241
uuWhen DrivinguPrecautions 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.
Avoid driving in deep water and on flooded roads. This can damage the engine 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
1Driving Guidelines for Your Utility Vehicle
Failure to operate your vehicle correctly might result
in a crash or a rollover. 2 Important Handling Information P. 26
2 Precautions While Driving P. 241
1Precautions While Driving
NOTICEDo not operate the shift lever while pressing the
accelerator pedal. You could damage the
transmission.
If the ignition switch is turned to ACCESSORY
(q or
LOCK (0 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 put the shift lever in
(N , 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 to not damage the engine or powertrain.
Avoid hard braking for the first 200 miles (300 km).
You should also follow this when the brake pads are
replaced.

242
uuWhen DrivinguAutomatic Transmission
Driving
Automatic Transmission
The following conditions cause the engine to run at high revolutions, and increase creeping: •Immediately after the engine starts.
• When the heating and cooling system *
/climate control system *
is in use.
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
* Not available on all models

243
uuWhen DrivinguShifting
Continued
Driving
Shifting
Change the shift position in accordance with your driving needs. ■Shift lever positions
1Shifting
You cannot turn the ignition switch to LOCK
(0 and
remove the key unless the shift lever is in (P .
The vehicle may move forward very slightly even in
(N while the engine is cold.
Depress the brake pedal firmly and, when necessary,
apply the parking brake.Park
Used when parking or starting the
engine
Reverse
Used when reversing
Neutral
Used when idling
Drive
Used for normal driving (gears change
between 1st and 5th au tomatically)
Drive (D3)Press the
(d button while the shift lever
is in (D .
Used when: ● Going up or down hills
● Towing a trailer in hilly terrain
Second
Used to increase engine braking
(the transmission is locked in 2nd gear)
First
Used to further increase engine braking
(the transmission is locked in 1st gear)
Release Button(d
Button

uuWhen DrivinguShifting
244
Driving
■Shift Lever Operation1Shift Lever Operation
NOTICEWhen you change the shift lever from (D to (R and
vice versa, come to a complete stop and keep the
brake pedal depressed.
Operating the shift lever before the vehicle has come
to a complete standstill can damage the transmission.
Use the shift lever position indicator to check the
lever position before pulling away.
Whichever position the shift lever is in when driving,
a blinking
(D indicator indicates a transmission
problem.
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.
It may not be possible to operate the shift lever if the
brake pedal is applied while the shift lever release
button is held down.
Depress the brake pedal first.
Tachometer's red zone
Shift Lever Position Indicator
Depress the brake pedal and
press the shift lever release button to
shift.
Shift without pressing the shift lever release button.
Press the shift lever release button
and shift.

245
uuWhen DrivinguCruise Control
Continued
Driving
Cruise Control
Maintains a constant vehicle speed without having to keep your foot on the
accelerator. Use cruise control on freeways or open roads where you can travel at a
constant speed with little acceleration or deceleration.
1Cruise Control
It may not be possible to maintain a constant speed
when driving uphill or downhill.
When not using cruise control:
Turn off cruise control by pressing the CRUISE
button.
While in the ECON mode, it may take relatively more
time to accelerate to maintain the set speed.
3WARNING
Improper use of the cruise control can lead
to a crash.
Use the cruise control only when traveling
on open highways in good weather.
■ Shift positions for cruise control:
In (D or (d
When to use
Always keep sufficient distance
between you and the vehicle in
front of you.
■
Vehicle speed for cruise control:
Desired speed in a range above
roughly 25 mph (40 km/h) ~
How to useCRUISE MAIN is on in the
instrument panel.
Cruise control is ready to use.
■ Press the CRUISE button on
the steering wheel.

246
uuWhen DrivinguCruise Control
Driving
Take your foot off the pedal and press the button when you reach the
desired speed.
The moment you release the button, the set speed is fixed, and cruise control
begins. The CRUISE CONTROL indicator comes on.
■To Set the Vehicle Speed
Button–/SET
On when cruise control beginsPress and release
OnOn
–/SET
–/SET

247
uuWhen DrivinguCruise Control
Driving
Increase or decrease the vehicle speed using the or buttons on the steering wheel. •Each time you press the button, the vehicle speed is increased or decreased by
about 1 mph (1.6 km/h).
• If you keep the button pressed, the vehicle speed increases or decreases until you
release it. This speed is then set.
To cancel cruise control, do any of the
following: •Press the CANCEL button.
• Press the CRUISE button.
• Depress the brake pedal.
The CRUISE CONTROL indicator goes off.
■To Adjust the Vehicle Speed1To Adjust the Vehicle Speed
You can set the vehicle speed using the button
on the steering wheel when adjusting the speed with
the accelerator and brake pedals.
–/SETRES/+–/SET
■To Cancel
To decrease speed
To increase speed
1To Cancel
Resuming the prior set speed:
After cruise control has been canceled, you can still
resume the prior set speed by pressing the
button while driving at a speed of at least 25 mph (40
km/h) or more.
You cannot set or resume in the following situations:
• When vehicle speed is less than 25 mph (40 km/h)
• When the CRUISE button is turned off
At vehicle speeds of 22 mph (35 km/h) or less, cruise
control is canceled automatically.
RES/+
CRUISE
Button
CANCEL
Button

248
uuWhen DrivinguVSA® (Vehicle Stability Assist), aka ESC (Electronic Stability Control), System
Driving
VSA ® (Vehicle Stability Assist), aka ESC (Electronic
Stability Control), 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 selectively 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 system. You will also see the
indicator blink.
■VSA ® Operation
1VSA ® (Vehicle Stability Assist), aka ESC (Electronic Stability Control), System
The VSA ® 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.
When the VSA ® indicator comes on and stays on
while driving, there may be a problem with the
system. While this may not interfere with normal
driving, have your vehicle 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

249
uuWhen DrivinguVSA® (Vehicle Stability Assist), aka ESC (Electronic Stability Control), System
Driving
This button is on the driver side control panel.
To turn the VSA® system on and off, press and
hold it until you hear a beep. VSA ® will stop and the indicator will come on.
To turn it on again, press the (VSA ® OFF)
button until you hear a beep.VSA ® is turned on every time you start the
engine, even if you turned it off the last time
you drove the vehicle.
■VSA ® On and Off1VSA ® (Vehicle Stability Assist), aka ESC (Electronic Stability Control), System
Without VSA ®, your vehicle will have normal braking
and cornering ability, but it will not have VSA ®
traction and stability enhancement.
In certain unusual conditions when your vehicle gets
stuck in shallow mud or fresh snow, it may be easier
to free it with the VSA ® temporarily switched off.
When the VSA ® system is off, the traction control
system is also off. You should only attempt to free
your vehicle with the VSA ® off if you are not able to
free it when the VSA ® is on.
Immediately after freeing your vehicle, be sure to
switch VSA ® on again. We do not recommend driving
your vehicle with the VSA ® and traction control
systems switched off.
If the low tire pressure, or TPMS indicator comes on
or blinks, the VSA ® system comes on automatically. In
this case, you cannot turn the system off by pressing
the button.
You may hear a motor sound coming from the
engine compartment while system checks are being
performed immediately after starting the engine or
while driving. This is normal.
VSA ® OFF
Indicator