brakes HONDA CR-V 2003 RD4-RD7 / 2.G Owners Manual

See page .
The instrument panel has many
indicators to give you important
inf ormation about your vehicle.
This light has two f unctions:
This indicator comes on when you
turn the ignition switch ON (II). It
is a reminder to check the parking
brake. Driving with the parking
brake not f ully released can
damage the brakes and tires.
If the indicator remains lit after
you have f ully released the
parking brake while the engine is
running, or if it comes on while
driving, it can indicate a problem
in the brake system. For complete
inf ormation, see page .
The engine can be severely damaged
if this light f lashes or stays on when
the engine is running. For complete
inf ormation, see page .
If this light comes on when the
engine is running, the battery is not
being charged. For complete
inf ormation, see page .
2. 1.
329
327
325
326
Indicator L ights
Inst rument s and Cont rols
Malf unction Indicator
Lamp Parking Brake and
Brake System
Indicator
L ow Oil Pressure
Indicator
Charging System
Indicator
66
U.S. Canada

To release the parking brake, push
andholdthereleasebuttononthe
side of the parking brake lever, pull
the lever toward you slightly, then
push the lever f orward.
The parking brake light on the
instrument panel should go out when
the parking brake is fully released
(see page ).
To apply the parking brake, f irmly
pull the parking brake lever toward
you.
66
Controls Near the Steering Wheel
Inst rument s and Cont rols
Parking Brake
82
PARKING BRAKE
LEVERRELEASE BUTTON
Driving the vehicle with the parking
brake applied can damage the rear
brakes and axles.

You can increase the set cruising
speed in any of these ways:
Thecruisecontrolmaynotholdthe
set speed when you are going up and
down hills. If your speed increases
going down a hill, use the brakes to
slow down to the desired speed. This
will cancel the cruise control. To
resume the set speed, press the
RESUME/accel button. The
CRUISE CONTROL light on the
instrument panel comes on.
When climbing a steep hill, the
automatic transmission may
downshif t to hold the set speed.
Press and release the SET/decel
buttononthesteeringwheel.The
CRUISE CONTROL light on the
instrument panel comes on to
show the system is now activated. Press and hold the RESUME/
accel button. The vehicle will
accelerate. When you reach the
desired cruising speed, release the
button.
Push on the accelerator pedal. Ac-
celerate to the desired cruising
speed and press the SET/decel
button. To increase your speed in very
small amounts, tap the RESUME/
accel button repeatedly. Each time
you do this, your vehicle will speed
up about 1 mph (1.6 km/h).
3.
Changing t he Set Speed
Comf ort and Convenience Feat ures
Cruise Control
180
RESUME/accel
SET/decel

Help assure your vehicle’s f uture
reliability and perf ormance by paying
extra attention to how you drive
during the f irst 600 miles (1,000 km).
During this period:Your Honda is designed to operate
on unleaded gasoline with a pump
octane number of 86 or higher. Use
of a lower octane gasoline can cause
a persistent, heavy metallic rapping
noise in the engine that can lead to
mechanical damage.
We recommend gasolines containing
detergent additives that help prevent
f uel system and engine deposits.
Using gasoline containing lead will
damage your vehicle’s emissions
controls. This contributes to air
pollution.In Canada, some gasolines contain
an octane-enhancing additive called
MMT. If you use such gasolines,
your emission control system
perf ormance may deteriorate and
the Malf unction Indicator Lamp on
your instrument panel may turn on.
If this happens, contact your
authorized Honda dealer f or service.
Youshouldfollowthesesamere-
commendations with an overhauled
or exchanged engine, or when the
brakes are relined. Do not change the oil until the
recommended time or mileage
intervalshowninthemaintenance
schedule. Avoidhardbraking.Newbrakes
need to be broken-in by moderate
use f or the f irst 200 miles (300
km). Avoid full-throttle starts and rapid
acceleration.
Break-in Period, Gasoline
Bef ore Driving
Break-in Period
Gasoline
184

Covering the outside edge of a
f ront seat-back, with a non-Honda
seat cover for example, could
prevent the airbag from inflating
properly.If a side airbag
inflates,acupholderorotherhard
object attached on or near the
door could be propelled inside the
vehicle and hurt someone.
Some examples are:
Lowering the vehicle with an
aftermarket suspension kit that
signif icantly reduces ground
clearance can allow the
undercarriage to impact speed
bumps or other raised objects,
which could cause the airbags to
deploy.
Raising the vehicle with an
af termarket suspension kit can
af f ect the handling and stability.
Af termarket wheels, because they
are a universal design, can cause
excessive stress on suspension
components. Larger or smaller wheels and tires
can interf ere with the operation of
your vehicle’s anti-lock brakes and
other systems.
Do not modif y your steering wheel
or any other part of your
Supplemental Restraint System.
Modif ications could make the
system inef f ective.
Any object
attached to or placed on the covers
marked ‘‘SRS AIRBAG,’’ in the
center of the steering wheel and
on top of the dashboard, could
interf ere with the proper operation
of the airbags. Or, if the airbags
inf late, the objects could be
propelled inside the vehicle and
hurt someone.
If you plan to modif y your vehicle,
consult with your Honda dealer.
Removing parts f rom your vehicle,
or replacing components with non-
Honda (af termarket) components
could seriously af f ect your vehicle’s
handling, stability, and reliability.
Only on models equipped with side
airbagsModif ications
Additional Saf ety Precautions
Do not place any object s over t heoutsideedgeof afront seat-back.
Do not at t ach hard object s on or
near a f ront door.
Do not at t ach or place object s on the f ront airbag covers.
A ccessories and Modif ications
Bef ore Driving192

This section gives you tips on
starting the engine under various
conditions, and how to operate the
5-speed manual and automatic
transmissions. It also includes
important inf ormation on parking
your vehicle, the braking system,
and f acts you need if you are plan-
ning to tow a trailer or drive off-
highway.........................
Driving Guidelines .198
........................
Preparing to Drive .199
.......................
Starting the Engine .200
Starting in Cold Weather ....................
at High Altitude .201
....
5-speed Manual Transmission . 202
.....
Recommended Shif t Points . 203
..............
Engine Speed Limiter . 203
..............
Automatic Transmission . 204
.
Shif t Lever Position Indicator . 204
................
Shif t Lever Positions . 205
..............
Engine Speed Limiter . 208
....................
Shif t Lock Release . 209
...........................................
Parking .210
.....................
The Braking System .211
.............
Brake Wear Indicators . 211
...............
Brake System Design . 212
.......................
Anti-lock Brakes .212
Important Saf ety .........................
Reminders .213
........................
ABS Indicator .214
...............
Driving in Bad Weather . 215
...........................
Towing a Trailer .217
Towing Your Vehicle Behind a ................................
Motorhome .224 ..............
Of f -Highway Guidelines . 226
.................
General Inf ormation . 226
.
Important Safety Precautions . 227
...............................
Driving Tips .228
Driving
Driving197

The manual transmission is syn-
chronizedinallforwardgearsfor
smooth operation. It has a lockout so
you cannot shift directly from Fifth
to Reverse. When shif ting up or
down,makesureyoupushtheclutch
pedal down all the way, shift to the
next gear, and let the pedal up
gradually. When you are not shif ting,
do not rest your f oot on the clutch
pedal. This can cause your clutch to
wear out faster.Come to a full stop before you shift
into Reverse. You can damage the
transmission by trying to shif t into
Reverse with the vehicle moving.
Push down the clutch pedal, and
pause f or a f ew seconds bef ore
shif ting into Reverse, or shif t into
one of the f orward gears f or a
moment. This stops the gears so
they won’t ‘‘grind.’’
When slowing down, you can get
extra braking f rom the engine by
shifting to a lower gear. This extra
braking can help you maintain a safe
speed and prevent your brakes f rom
overheating while going down a
steep hill. Bef ore downshif ting,
make sure engine speed will not go
into the tachometer’s red zone in the
lower gear.
5-speed Manual T ransmission
Driving202
Rapid slowing or speeding-up
can cause loss of control on
slippery surfaces. If you crash,
you can be injured.
Use extra care when driving on
slippery surfaces.

µ
Always use the parking brake when
you park your vehicle. The indicator
on the instrument panel shows that
the parking brake is not f ully
released; it does not indicate that the
parking brake is f irmly set. Make
sure the parking brake is set f irmly
or your vehicle may roll if it is
parked on an incline.
If your vehicle has an automatic
transmission, set the parking brake
bef ore you put the transmission in
Park. This keeps the vehicle f rom
moving and putting pressure on the
parking mechanism in the
transmission making it easier to
move the shift lever out of Park
when you want to drive away. If the vehicle is f acing uphill, turn
the f ront wheels away f rom the curb.
If you have a manual transmission,
putitinfirstgear.
If the vehicle is f acing downhill, turn
the f ront wheels toward the curb. If
you have a manual transmission, put
it in reverse gear.
Make sure the parking brake is f ully
released bef ore driving away.
Driving with the parking brake
partially set can overheat or damage
the rear brakes.
Make sure the moonroof and the
windows are closed.
Lock the doors and the tailgate
with the key or the remote
transmitter.
Make sure the hatch glass is
closed securely. Place any packages, valuables, etc.,
in the cargo area or take them
with you. Turn of f the lights.
Never park over dry leaves, tall
grass, or other f lammable
materials. The three way catalytic
converter gets very hot, and could
cause these materials to catch on
fire.
Parking T ips
Driving
Parking
210

When the brake pads need replacing,
you will hear a distinctive metallic
‘‘screeching’’ sound when you apply
the brakes. If you do not have the
brake pads replaced, they will begin
screeching all the time.
Your brakes may sometimes squeal
or squeak when you apply them
lightly. Do not conf use this with the
brakewearindicators.Theymakea
very audible ‘‘screeching.’’
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 downshif ting to a lower
gear and taking your f oot of f the
accelerator pedal.
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. Since a
longer distance is needed to stop
with wet brakes, be extra cautious
and alert in your driving.
Put your f oot on the brake pedal only
when you intend to brake. Resting
your f oot on the pedal keeps the
brakes applied lightly, causing them
to build up heat. Heat build-up can
reduce how well your brakes work. It
also keeps your brake lights on all
the time, conf using drivers behind
you. 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.
All f our brakes have audible brake
wear indicators. Brake Wear Indicators
The Braking System
Driving211

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.When the f ront tires skid, you lose
steering control; the vehicle
continues straight ahead even
though you turn the steering wheel.
The ABS helps to prevent lock-up
and helps you retain steering control
by pumping the brakes rapidly; much
f aster than a person can do it.
ABS helps to prevent the wheels
f rom locking up and skidding during
hard braking, allowing you to retain
steering control.
The ABS also balances the f ront-to
rear braking distribution according
to vehicle loading.Standard f or EX model in the U.S., andEX and EX-L models in Canada
Brake System Design A nti-lock Brakes
The Braking System
Driving212
Front