ECU HONDA RIDGELINE 2008 1.G User Guide

When not using the LATCH system,
all child seats must be secured to the
vehicle with the lap part of a lap/
shoulder belt.With the child seat in the desired
seating position, route the belt
through the child seat according
to the seat maker’s instructions,
then insert the latch plate into the
buckle.To activate the lockable retractor,
slowly pull the shoulder part of the
belt all the way out until it stops,
then let the belt f eed back into the
retractor.
Af ter the belt has retracted, tug on
it. If the belt is locked, you will not
be able to pull it out. If you can pull
thebeltout,itisnotlocked,and
you will need to repeat these steps.
In addition, the lap/shoulder belts in
all seating positions except the
driver’s have a lockable retractor
that must be activated to secure a
child seat.
If you intend to install the child seat
in the rear center seating position
and use the tether strap for
additional security, make sure to
push down the head restraint to the
lowest position and hook the tether
strap hook to the anchor bef ore
securing the child seat with the lap/
shoulder belt. Ref er to page f or
how to route the tether strap
properly.
1. 2.
3.
46
Installing a Child Seat with a L ap/
Shoulder Belt
Installing a Child Seat
44
\f—\f—y
\fy
(\fy\f\fy
2008 Ridgeline

Af ter conf irming that the belt is
locked, grab the shoulder part of
the belt near the buckle, and pull
up to remove any slack from the
lap part of the belt. Remember, if
the lap part of the belt is not tight,
the child seat will not be secure.Push and pull the child seat
f orward and f rom side-to-side to
verify that it is secure enough to
stay upright during normal driving
maneuvers. If the child seat is not
secure, unlatch the belt, allow it to
retract f ully, then repeat these
steps.
To remove slack, it may help to
putweightonthechildseat,or
push on the back of the seat while
pulling up on the belt. To deactivate the lockable retractor
and remove a child seat, unlatch the
buckle, unroute the seat belt, and let
the belt fully retract.
4. 5.
Installing a Child Seat
Driver and Passenger Saf ety
45
\f—\f—y
y
(\fy\f\f\fy
2008 Ridgeline

When using a tether anchor, always
hook the tether strap through the
upper guide to route it properly.
Since a tether can provide additional
security to the lap/shoulder belt
installation, we recommend using a
tether whenever one is required or
available.
Each outer seating position has a
tether anchor at the outside of the
seat bottom. The center seating
position has a tether anchor between
the lower anchors f or the LATCH-
compatible child seat. Each anchor
point is shown above. Lif t the cover, then hook the
tether strap through the upper
guide as shown.
Af ter properly securing the child
seat (see page ), lif t the head
restraint, then route the tether
strap over the seat-back and
through the head restraint legs.
A child seat with a tether can be
installed in any seating position in
the back seat. 1.
2.44
Installing a Child Seat
Installing a Child Seat with a
TetherUsing an Out er T et her A nchor
46
COVER
UPPER
GUIDE UPPER
GUIDE
CENTER
TETHER
ANCHOR
OUTER
TETHER
ANCHOR OUTER TETHER ANCHOR
\f—\f—y
y
(\fy\f\f
y
2008 Ridgeline

Attach the tether strap hook to the
center tether anchor between the
loweranchorsfortheLATCH-
compatible child seat.Properlysecurethechildseat(see
page ), then tighten the tether
strap according to the seat maker’s
instructions.
Whenever using the tether strap,
make sure to route the strap through
the upper guide bef ore attaching the
tether strap hook to the tether
anchor. If the tether strap is not
routed properly and secured, the
child seat may not be secured. This
could lead to serious injury or death.
5. 6.
44
Installing a Child Seat
48
UPPER GUIDE
CENTER TETHER ANCHOR
\f—\f—y
y
(\fy\f\fy
2008 Ridgeline

If you decide that a child can saf ely
ride up f ront, be sure to:Caref ully read the owner’s manual,
and make sure you understand all
seat belt instructions and all saf ety
inf ormation.
Move the vehicle seat to the rear-
most position.
Have the child sit up straight, back
against the seat, and feet on or
near the f loor.
Check that the child’s seat belt is
properly and securely positioned.
Physically, a child must be large
enough f or the lap/shoulder belt to
properly f it (see pages and ). If
the seat belt does not f it properly,
with or without the child sitting on a
booster seat, the child should not sit
in f ront.
To saf ely ride in f ront, a child must
be able to f ollow the rules, including
sitting properly, and wearing the seat
belt properly throughout a ride.
A side airbag also poses risks. If any
part of a larger child’s body is in the
path of a deploying side airbag, the
child could receive possibly serious
injuries.
If the passenger’s front airbag
inf lates in a moderate to severe
f rontal collision, the airbag can cause
serious injuries to a child who is
unrestrained, improperly restrained,
sitting too close to the airbag, or out
of position.
The National Highway Traffic Safety
Administration and Transport
Canada recommend that all children
age 12 and under be properly
restrained in the back seat. Of course, children vary widely. And
while age may be one indicator of
when a child can saf ely ride in f ront,
there are other important f actors you
should consider.
Supervise the child. Even a mature
child sometimes needs to be
reminded to f asten the seat belt or
sit properly.
1449
Physical Size
Maturity
When Can a L arger Child Sit in
Front
Protecting L arger Children
Driver and Passenger Saf ety
51
\f—\f—y

y
(\fy\f\fy
2008 Ridgeline

Push the lever up to lock the
steering wheel in position.
Make sure you have securely
locked the steering wheel in place
by trying to move it up and down.
Make any steering wheel adjustment
bef ore you start driving.
Move the steering wheel so it
points toward your chest, not
toward your f ace. Make sure you
can see the instrument panel
gauges and indicators.
Push the lever on the lef t side of
the steering column all the way
down.
Pushthebuttontoturnonthe
hazard warning lights (f our-way
flashers). This causes all four
outside turn signals and both turn
indicators in the instrument panel to
f lash. Use the hazard warning lights
if you need to park in a dangerous
area near heavy traffic, or if your
vehicle is disabled. 3.
4.
1.
2.
Steering Wheel A djustment
Hazard Warning Button
Hazard Warning Button, Steering Wheel A djustment
Inst rument s and Cont rols
79
Adjusting the steering wheel
position while driving may
cause you to lose control of the
vehicle and be seriously injured
inacrash.
Adjust the steering wheel only
when the vehicle is stopped.
\f—\f—y

\fy
(\fy\f\fy
2008 Ridgeline

µ
µ µ
Press this button once
to unlock the driver’s door and the
In-Bed Trunk. Push it twice to
unlock the remaining doors.
Some exterior and interior lights will
f lash twice each time you push the
button.
When you press the UNLOCK
button, the f ront and rear individual
map lights, depending on the interior
light control switch position, will
come on (see page ). If you do
not open any door, the lights stay on
f or about 30 seconds, then go out. If
you relock the doors and the In-Bed
Trunk with the remote transmitter
bef ore 30 seconds have elapsed, the
lights will go of f immediately.
Press this button once to
lock all doors and the In-Bed Trunk.
Some exterior and interior lights will
flash once.
When you push LOCK twice within 5
seconds, you will hear a beep to
verify that the doors and In-Bed
Trunk are locked and the security
system (if equipped) has set. This
button does not work if any door is
not f ully closed or the key is in the
ignition switch. Press and hold this
button for about 1 second to attract
attention; the horn will sound and
the exterior lights will f lash f or about
30 seconds. To cancel panic mode,
press any other button on the remote
transmitter, or turn the ignition
switch to the ON (II) position. Panic
mode does not work when the key is
in the ignition switch.
If you do not open any door within 30
seconds, the doors automatically
relock, and the security system sets
(if equipped). The UNLOCK button
does not work when the key is in the
ignition switch.
You can also open all side windows
f rom outside the vehicle with the
remote transmitter (see page ).
120 109
UNL OCK
LOCK PA NIC
Remote Transmitter
90
LED
UNLOCK
BUTTON
PANIC
BUTTON
LOCK
BUTTON
\f—\f—y
y
(\fy\f\fy
2008 Ridgeline

Youcanopenthetailgatetwo
dif f erent ways:Drop it open by using the upper
handle.
Swingitopenbyusingtheright
lower handle.
To drop open the tailgate, pull up the
upper handle, then pull down the
tailgate. To close the tailgate, push
f irmly up until it latches.
Bef ore you open the tailgate a
dif f erent way (dropped open, and
then swung open), make sure it is
f ully closed.
Make sure all passengers and
objects are clear of the tailgate
bef ore opening and closing it, and
make sure the tailgate is closed
securely bef ore driving.
As a saf ety f eature, the upper handle
is disabled if you do not f ully close
the tailgate af ter it is swung open.
And the lower handle is disabled if
you do not f ully close the tailgate
af ter it is dropped open.
CONT INUED
To Drop Open the Tailgate
Dual-Action Tailgate
Inst rument s and Cont rols
93
NOTE:
UPPER HANDLE
\f—\f—y
\fy
(\fy\f\fy
2008 Ridgeline

To swing open the tailgate, f irst
make sure it is f ully closed, then pull
up the right lower handle, and swing
the tailgate to the lef t.
To close, swing the tailgate back,
and push it f irmly until it is latched.
The dropped open tailgate can be
used as an extended pickup bed.
Make sure to secure the items in the
pickup bed, and do not exceed the
maximum allowable weight on the
tailgate(seepage).
To turn the bed lights on or off, use
the bed light switch on the
dashboard (see page ).
Bef ore opening or closing the
tailgate, check that passengers,
especially children, are not in the
tailgate’s path.
122
194 T o Swing Open the T ailgate
Dual-Action Tailgate
94
HANDLESwinging the tailgate open or
closed while anyone is in its
path can cause serious injury.
Make sure all passengers are
clear of the tailgate’s path
before opening or closing it.
Do not drive with the tailgate swung
open. This could damage the tailgate.
\f—\f—y

y
(\fy\f\fy
2008 Ridgeline

YoucanopentheIn-BedTrunktwo
dif f erent ways:Push the release button on the
lower right side of the In-Bed
Trunk lid when the driver’s door is
unlocked. To close the In-Bed Trunk, lower the
lid, then press down on the back
edge. If your vehicle’s battery is
disconnected or goes dead, the
release button on the In-Bed Trunk
lid is disabled. To open the In-Bed
Trunk, use the master key.
Usethemasterkeytoopenthe
In-Bed Trunk when the driver’s
door is locked. Thebedlightscomeonwhenyou
open the In-Bed Trunk. You can also
turn the bed lights on or off by
pushing the bed light switch on the
dashboard (see page ).
You can store items in the In-Bed
Trunk up to 300 lbs (136 kg). Do not
exceed this weight limit, or you may
damage the In-Bed Trunk. See page
f or inf ormation on loading cargo
and weight limits.
To store items separately in the
In-Bed Trunk, optional divider
guides are available f rom your dealer.
When the In-Bed Trunk is closed
securely, it can be locked or
unlocked along with the power door
locks (see page ).
83 122
190
In-Bed Trunk
96
RELEASE
BUTTON
TM
\f—\f—y
y
(\fy\f
\f
y
2008 Ridgeline