HONDA RIDGELINE 2020 Owner's Manual (in English)

379Continued
Driving
When Driving
Starting the Engine
1.Make sure the parkin g brake is applied.
2. Depress the brake pedal.
3. Press the ENGINE START/STOP button
without depressing the accelerator pedal.1 Starting the Engine
Keep your foot firmly on the brake pedal when
starting the engine.
The engine is harder to st art in cold weather and in
thinner air found at altit udes above 8,000 feet (2,400
meters).
When starting the engine in cold weather, turn off all
electrical accessories such as the lights, climate
control system, and rear de fogger in order to reduce
battery drain.
If you live in a region where winter is extremely cold,
an engine block heater will improve starting and
warming of the engine. Cons ult a dealer for details.
If the exhaust system sounds abnormal or you can
smell exhaust gas inside the vehicle, have your vehicle
checked by a dealer. There may be a problem with
the engine or exhaust system.
Bring the smart entry remote close to the ENGINE
START/STOP button if the battery in the smart entry
remote is weak.
2 If the Smart Entry Remote Battery is Weak
P. 544
The engine may not start if the smart entry remote is
subjected to strong radio waves.
Do not hold the ENGINE START/STOP button to
start the engine.
If the engine does not start, wait at least 30 seconds
before starting the engine again.
Parking Brake
Brake Pedal

uuWhen Driving uStarting the Engine
380
Driving
You can turn the engine off when the vehicle is completely stopped.
1. Put the transmission into
(P.
2. Press the ENGINE START/STOP button.
■Stopping the Engine1Starting the Engine
The immobilizer system pr otects your vehicle from
theft.
If an improperly c oded device is used, the engine’s
fuel system is disabled. 2 Immobilizer System P. 132

Continued381
uuWhen Driving uStarting the Engine
Driving
You can remotely start the engine using the smart entry remote.
■Remote Engine Start1Remote Engine Start
The remote engine start may violate local laws.
Before using the remote e ngine start, check your
local laws.
If there are buildings an d obstacles between your
vehicle and the remote, th e range will be reduced.
This distance may vary by external electrical
interference.
The engine may not start by the remote engine start
if:
•You have disabled a remo te engine start setting
using the audio/information screen.
•You do not press and hold the button
within 5 seconds after the button is pressed.
•The power mode is not in VEHICLE OFF.
•The transmission is in a position other than ( P.
3WARNING
Carbon monoxide ga s is toxic and can
rapidly accumulate in closed or even partly
enclosed areas.
Breathing it can cause unconsciousness and
even kill you.
Never use the remote engine starter with
the vehicle parked in a garage or other
areas with limited ventilation.

uuWhen Driving uStarting the Engine
382
Driving
■To start the engine
When started remotely, the engine automati cally shuts off after 10 minutes of idling
and/or the brake pedal and ENGINE START/STOP button have not been pressed
simultaneously.
To extend the run time for another 10 mi nutes during the first run, press the
button, then press and hold the button. u Some exterior lights flash six times if a 10-minute extension request was
transmitted successfully.1Remote Engine Start
•The hood is open, or any door or the trunk is
unlocked.
•You have already used the remote twice to start
the engine.
•Another registered smart entry remote is in the
vehicle.
•There is any antenna failure.•The door is unlocked with the built-in key.
•The engine oil pressure is low.
•The engine coolant temper ature is extremely high.•The security system alarm is not set.
The engine may stop whil e it is running if:
•You do not start the vehicl e within 10 minutes of
starting the engine with the smart entry remote.
•The engine is stopped by using the smart entry
remote.
•There is any antenna failure.
•The security system alarm is not set.
•The door is unlocked with the built-in key.•The hood is open, or any door, or the trunk is
unlocked.
•The transmission is in a position other than ( P.•The engine coolant temper ature is extremely high.
•The battery is low.
•The engine oil pressure is low.•The Malfunction Indicator Lamp (MIL) comes on if
there is a problem with the emissions control
systems.
Press the button, then press and hold
the button.
Some exterior lights flash once.
LED: Blinks when any button is pressed. Go within the range,
and try again.
Some exterior lights flash six
times if the engine runs
successfully. Some exterior lights will not
flash if the engine does not
start.

Continued383
uuWhen Driving uStarting the Engine
Driving
■To stop the engine1Remote Engine Start
While the engine is running, the vehicle will
automatically preconditi on inside the vehicle.
When it is warm outside:
•The climate control system is activated in
recirculation mode.
•The seat ventilation* is activated.
When it is cold outside:
•The defroster is activated at a moderately warm
temperature.
•The rear defogger and door mirror heaters* are
activated.
•The seat heaters* and heated steering wheel* are
activated. 2Heated Steering Wheel
* P. 179
2 Front Seat Heaters* P. 180
2 Front Seat Heaters and Seat
Ventilation
* P. 181
2 Rear Outer Seat Heaters* P. 182
Press and hold the
button for one second.Go within the range, and try again.
Some exterior lights will not flash when the remote is out of
the keyless access system range.
The engine will not stop.
Some exterior lights flash once if the engine stops
successfully.
* Not available on all models

uuWhen Driving uStarting the Engine
384
Driving
1. Depress the brake pedal and press the ENGINE START/STOP button
simultaneously.
2. Keeping your right foot on the brake peda l, release the parking brake. Check that
the parking brake indicator has gone off.
2 Parking Brake P. 462
3.Put the transmission into (D. Select (R when reversing.
4. Gradually release the brake pedal and gently depress the accelerator pedal to pull
away.
■Hill start assist system
Hill start assist keeps the brake engaged br iefly to help prevent the vehicle from
rolling on inclines as you move your fo ot from the brake pedal to the accelerator.
Put the transmission into
(D, or (S when facing uphill, or (R when facing downhill,
then release the brake pedal.
■Starting to Drive1 Starting to Drive
The engine stops when th e transmission is taken out
of
( P before the ENGINE START/STOP button is
pressed. Follow the step 1 when starting to drive.
When the engine was started using the smart entry
remoteWhen the engine was started using the smart entry remote
When the engine was started in any case
1 Hill start assist system
Hill start assist may not prevent the vehicle from
rolling downhill on a very steep or slippe ry slope, and
will not operate on small inclines.
Hill start assist will operate even when VSA ® is
switched off.
Hill start assist is not a replacement for the parking
brake.

385
uuWhen Driving uPrecautions While Driving
Continued
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 yo u would with a passenger vehicle.
• Avoid sharp turns and abrupt maneuvers whenever possible.
• Do not modify your vehicle in any way th at 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 or
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 select a shift button 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 electric
power steering (EPS) system heats up. The system
goes into a protective mode, and limits its
performance. The steering wheel becomes harder
and harder to operate. Once the system cools down,
the EPS system is restor ed. Repeated operation under
these conditions can eventually damage the system.
If the power mode is set to ACCESSORY while
driving, the engine will shut down and all steering
and brake power assist functi ons will stop, making it
difficult to control the vehicle.
Do not press the
( N button, as you will lose engine
braking (and accelera tion) 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.

uuWhen Driving uPrecautions While Driving
386
Driving
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. 32
2 Precautions While Driving P. 385

387
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, unexpe ctedly increasing vehicle speed. Depress
the accelerator pedal carefully, especi ally on slippery roads and curves.
■Creeping
■Kickdown

388
uuWhen Driving uShifting
Driving
Shifting
Change the shift positi on in accordance with your driving needs.
■Shift button positions
1Shifting
To prevent malfunction an d unintended engagement:
•Do not spill any liquids on or around shift buttons.•Do not place or drop any objects on or around shift
buttons.
•Do not let passengers or ch ildren operate the shift
buttons.
The beeper sounds and the message appears on the
multi-information display when you depress the
accelerator pedal with the transmission in
( N.
2 Multi-Information Display Warning and
Information Messages P. 92
Put the transmission into
( D or (R with the brake
pedal depressed.
When shifting positions in extremely low
temperatures (-22°F/-30°C), there may be a short
delay before the shift posit ion is indicated in the
display. Always confirm y ou are in the correct shift
position before driving.
3WARNING
The vehicle can roll away if left unattended
without confirming that Park is engaged.
A vehicle that rolls away could cause a crash
resulting in seriou s injury or death.
Always keep your foot on the brake pedal
until you have confirmed that
( P is shown
on the shift posi tion Indicator.
Park
Used when parking or starting the engine
Transmission is locked
Reverse
Used when reversing
Neutral
Transmission is not locked
Drive/S Position
Each time you press the button, the mode
switches between Drive and S position mode.
Used for:
●Normal driving (gears change between 1st
and 9th automatically)
●Temporarily driving in the sequential mode
●Automatically changi ng gears between 1st
and 8th (8th gear is used only at high speed)
●Driving in the sequential mode
D/S
Drive
S Position