engine HONDA RIDGELINE 2017 2.G Repair Manual

424
uuWhen Driving uPrecautions While Driving
Driving
Precautions While Driving
Utility vehicles have a significantly higher ro llover rate than other types of vehicles.
To prevent rollovers or loss of control:
• Take corners at slower speeds than yo u 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.
Never carry more than 165 lbs (75 kg) of cargo on the roof rack (Honda accessory).
Avoid driving in deep water and on flooded roads. This can damage the engine,
driveline, or cause electrical component failure.
If there is a strong impact with something un der 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
1 Precautions While Driving
NOTICE
Do not change the shift lever while pressing the
accelerator pedal. You could damage the
transmission.
NOTICE
If you repeatedly turn the steering wheel at an
extremely low speed, or hold the steering wheel in
the full left or right position for a while, the system
heats up. The system goes into a protective mode,
and limits its performa nce. The steering wheel
becomes harder and harder to operate. Once the
system cools down, the EPS system is restored.
Repeated operation under these conditions can
eventually damage the system.
If the power mode is set to ACCESSORY or VEHICLE
OFF (LOCK) while driving, the engine will shut down
and all steering and brake pow er 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 acce leration) performance.
During the first 600 miles (1,000 km) of operation,
avoid sudden acceleration or full throttle operation so
as not to 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.

425
uuWhen Driving uAutomatic Transmission
Driving
Automatic Transmission
The engine runs at a higher id le speed and creeping increases.
Keep the brake pedal firmly depressed when stopped.
Quickly depressing the accelerator peda l while driving uphill may cause the
transmission to drop to a lower gear, unex pectedly increasing vehicle speed. Depress
the accelerator pedal carefully, especi ally on slippery roads and curves.
■Creeping
■Kickdown
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. 30
2 Precautions While Driving P. 424

426
uuWhen Driving uShifting
Driving
Shifting
Change the shift positi on in accordance with your driving needs.
■Shift lever positions
1Shifting
You cannot change the pow er mode from ON to
VEHICLE OFF (LOCK) 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 pe dal firmly and, when necessary,
apply the parking brake.
When shifting gears in extremely low temperatures
(-22°F/-30°C), there may be a short delay before the
shift indicated in the display. Always confirm you are
in the correct gear before driving.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 6th
automatically)
Drive (L)
Used for:
●Automatically changing gears
between 1st and 5th (5th gear is
used only at high speed)
Drive (D4)
Press the button while the shift
lever is in
( D.
Used when:
●Going up or down hills●Towing a trailer in hilly terrain
D4
Release Button
Button
D4

427
uuWhen Driving uShifting
Driving
■Shift Lever Operation1Shift Lever Operation
NOTICE
When 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 be fore the vehicle has come
to a complete standstill can damage the transmission.
Use the shift lever position indicator to check the
lever position befo re pulling away.
Whichever position the shift lever is in when driving,
a blinking transmission 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 of f if you drive at engine
speeds in or over the tachometer’s red zone (engine
speed limit). If this happe ns, 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.

428
uuWhen Driving uECON Button
Driving
ECON Button
The ECON button turns the ECON mode on
and off.
The ECON mode helps you improve your fuel
economy by adjusting the performance of the
engine, air conditioning system, and cruise
control.1 ECON Button
While in ECON mode, the climate control system
* has
greater temperature fluctuation.
* Not available on all models

Continued457
uuWhen Driving uLane Keeping Assist System (LKAS)*
Driving
3. Keep your vehicle near the center of the
lane while driving.
u The dotted outer lines change to solid
ones once the system starts operating
after detecting the left and right lane
markings.
To cancel the LKAS:
Press the MAIN or LKAS button.
The LKAS is turned off every time you stop the
engine, even if you turned it on the last time
you drove the vehicle.
Models with ACC is shown.
■To cancel
1 When the System can be Used
The LKAS temporarily deactivates when it fails to
detect lane lines. When the system detects the lines
again, it comes back on automatically.
1To cancel
Pressing the MAIN button also turns ACC on and off.
MAIN Button
LKAS Button

462
uuWhen Driving uVehicle Stability Assist (VSA® ), aka Electronic Stability Control (ESC), System
Driving
Vehicle Stability Assist (VSA®), aka Electronic
Stability Control (ESC), 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 select ively 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
1 Vehicle Stability Assist (VSA ®), aka Electronic Stability Control
(ESC), System
The VSA ® may not function properl y 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 vehi cle 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

463
uuWhen Driving uVehicle Stability Assist (VSA ®), aka Electronic Stability Control (ESC), System
Driving
This button is on the driver side control panel.
To partially disable VSA ® functionality/
features, press and hold it until you hear a
beep.
The traction control stop s fully functioning,
allowing the wheels to spin more freely at low
speed. The VSA ® OFF indicator will also come
on and a message on the multi-information
display informs you that the mode is changed.
Traction control mode can not be changed
during Mud
* or Sand* modes. If you are
driving on mud or sand, Mud* or Sand*
Intelligent Traction Management modes can
also be used to free a stuck vehicle. On other
road surfaces, change to Normal or Snow
mode, then press and hold the (VSA ® OFF)
button.
To restore VSA ® functionality/features, 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 Off1 Vehicle Stability Assist (VSA ®), aka Electronic Stability Control
(ESC), System
With the button pressed, your vehicle will have
normal braking and corn ering ability, but VSA®
traction and stability enhancement becomes less
effective.
In certain unusual conditions when your vehicle gets
stuck in shallow mud or fr esh snow, it may be easier
to free it with the VSA ® temporarily switched off.
When the button is pressed, the traction control
function becomes less effective. This allows for the
wheels to spin more freely at low speed. 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 ® system switched off.
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
When the button is pressed
* Not available on all models

464
uuWhen Driving uAgile Handling Assist System
Driving
Agile Handling Assist System
Lightly brakes each of the front and rear wheels, as needed, when you turn the
steering wheel, and helps support the vehi cle’s stability and performance during
cornering.1 Agile Handling Assist System
The agile handling assist system cannot enhance
stability in all driving situat ions. You still need to drive
and corner at speeds appr opriate for the conditions
and always leave a sufficient margin of safety.
When the VSA ® indicator comes on and stays on
while driving, the agile handling assist system does
not activate.
You may hear a sound coming from the engine
compartment while the system is activated. This is
normal.

465
uuWhen Driving ui-VTM4 (Intelligent Variable Torque Management)-4 ® System*
Driving
i-VTM4 (Intelligent Variable Torque Management)-4 ®
System*
The Intelligent Variable Torque Management System (i-VTM4) is a full time all wheel
drive system that automatically controls and transfers varying amount of engine
torque to all wheels independently according to the driving conditions.
You still need to exercise the same care when accelerating, steering, and braking
that you would in a two wheel drive vehicle.
If the AWD light blinks while driving, it indicates the differential temperature is too
high. If this happens, pull to the side of the ro ad when it is safe, shift to park, an idle
the engine idle until the indi cator goes out. If the indicator does not go out, take
your vehicle to a dealer to have it checked.1 i-VTM4 (Intelligent Variable Torque Management)-4 ® System*
NOTICE
Do not continuously spin the front tires of your
vehicle. Continuously spinning the front tires can
cause transmission or re ar differential damage.
The i-VTM4 system 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. 2 Tire and Wheel Replacement P. 537
* Not available on all models