4WD HONDA CR-V 2000 RD1-RD3 / 1.G Owners Manual

Drivin
g Guideline s

You r CR- V ha s highe r groun d
clearanc e tha n a passenge r vehicl e
designe d onl y fo r us e o n pavement .
Highe r groun d clearanc e ha s man y
advantage s fo r off-highwa y driving .
I t allow s yo u t o trave l ove r bump s
an d unpave d roads . I t als o provide s
goo d visibilit y s o yo u ca n anticipat e
problem s earlier .
Thes e advantage s com e a t som e cost .
Becaus e you r vehicl e i s talle r an d
ride s highe r of f th e ground , i t ha s a
hig h cente r o f gravity . Thi s mean s
tha t you r vehicl e ca n ti p o r rol l ove r
i f yo u mak e abrup t turns . Utilit y
vehicle s hav e a significantl y highe r
rollove r rat e tha n othe r type s o f
vehicles .
T o preven t th e ris k o f rollove r o r
los s o f control : Tak
e corner s a t slowe r speed s
tha n yo u woul d wit h a passenge r
vehicle .
Avoi
d shar p turn s an d abrup t
maneuver s wheneve r possible . D
o no t modif y you r vehicl e in an y
wa y tha t woul d rais e th e cente r o f
gravity . D
o no t can y heav y carg o o n th e

roof .
Four-wheel
Drive Models

You r CR- V is equippe d wit h a uniqu e
four-whee l driv e (4WD ) system .
Normally , powe r i s delivere d onl y t o
th e fron t wheels . Whe n th e syste m
sense s a los s o f front-whee l traction ,
i t automaticall y transfer s som e
powe r t o th e rea r wheels . Thi s give s
yo u bette r tractio n an d mobility .
Whil e thi s syste m ca n provid e
increase d tractio n o n slipper y
surfaces , yo u stil l nee d t o exercis e
th e sam e car e whe n accelerating ,
steering , an d brakin g tha t yo u woul d
i n a two-whee l driv e vehicle .

Se e page 177 for additional guidelines
for driving off-highway.
Drivin g

Rea
r Differentia l Flui d

(4WD models only)

FILLER BOL T

Chec k th e flui d leve l wit h th e rea r
differentia l a t norma l operatin g
temperatur e an d th e vehicl e sittin g
o n leve l ground . Remov e th e
differentia l flui d fille r bol t an d
washe r an d carefull y fee l insid e th e
bol t hol e wit h you r finger . Th e flui d
leve l shoul d b e u p t o th e edg e o f th e
bol t hole . I f i t i s not , slowl y ad d
Genuin e Hond a Dua l Pum p Flui d
unti l i t start s t o ru n ou t o f th e hole .
Reinstal l th e fille r bol t an d tighte n i t securely
.
I f th e Dua l Pum p Flui d i s no t
available , yo u ma y us e Hond a
Premiu m Formul a Automati c
Transmissio n Flui d (ATF ) o r a
qualit y DEXRON ®
II I AT F a s a
temporar y replacement . However ,
continue d us e ca n caus e noise ,
vibratio n an d performanc e problems .
Hav e th e differentia l draine d an d
refille d wit h Genuin e Hond a Dua l
Pum p Flui d a s soo n a s it i s
convenient .
Th e rea r differentia l shoul d b e
draine d an d refille d wit h ne w flui d
accordin g t o th e tim e an d distanc e
recommendation s i n th e mainte -
nanc e schedule .

Maintenance

Correc
t
leve l

Emergenc
y Towin g

I f you r vehicl e need s t o b e towed ,
cal l a professiona l towin g servic e or ,
i f yo u belon g to one , a n organizatio n
tha t provide s roadsid e assistance .
Neve r to w you r vehicl e behin d
anothe r vehicl e wit h jus t a rop e o r
chain . I t i s ver y dangerous .
Ther e ar e thre e popula r type s o f

professiona l towin g equipment .

Flat-bed Equipment — The operato r

load s you r vehicl e o n th e bac k o f a
truck . Thi s i s th e onl y wa y t o
transpor t you r vehicle . An y othe r
metho d o f towin g wil l damag e th e
driv e system . Whe n yo u contac t th e
towin g agency , infor m the m tha t a
flat-be d is required .
Towing
a 4WD CR-V with only two

tires on the ground will damage parts

of the 4WD system. It should be

transported on a flat-bed truck or

trailer.

Wheel Lift Equipment — The to w
truc k use s tw o pivotin g arm s tha t g o
unde r th e tire s (fron t o r rear ) an d lif t
the m of f th e ground . Th e othe r tw o
tire s remai n o n th e ground .
Neve r to w you r vehicl e wit h
whee l lif t equipment .

Sling-type Equipment — The to w

truc k use s meta l cable s wit h hook s
o n th e ends . Thes e hook s g o aroun d
part s o f th e fram e o r suspensio n an d
cable s lif t tha t en d o f th e vehicl e of f
th e ground . You r vehicle' s
suspensio n an d bod y ca n b e
seriousl y damaged . Thi s metho d o f
towin g you r CR- V is unacceptable .Refe
r t o Towin g You r Vehicl e
Behin d a Motorhom e o n pag e
17 6 fo r non-emergenc y towin g
information .
Takin g Car e o f th e Unexpecte d

NOTIC
E