1990 HONDA PRELUDE Owners Manual

Shifting the 5 Speed
The fully synchronized manual
transmission is very easy to shift up or down. When you slow

down for traffic, steep hills, or
corners, shift to a lower gearbefore the engine starts to labor.
When descending steep grades, select a lower gear to help
maintain a safe speed and to
prevent the brakes from over-

heating.

When shifting, depress the clutch pedal fully, shift gears and then release the clutch gradually. Do not speed-shift; allow time for the
gears to synchronize.
To prevent grinding the gears when shifting into reverse, hold the clutch pedal depressed briefly before shifting, or shift the lever intoone of the forward gears before selecting reverse.
A safety lockout prevents accidental shifting straight from 5th to

Reverse.

Avoid rapid acceleration or sudden deceleration when either or both driving wheels are on a slippery surface. Decreased traction
could cause loss of directional control.

CAUTION:
Do not drive with your foot on the clutch pedal as this will causepremature wear of clutch components.
Do not shift into reverse while the car is moving.

(cont'd)ProCarManuals.comMain Menu t s

Shifting the 5 Speed (cont'd)
Maximum Allowable Speeds
The speeds shown below are the maximum at which the car can be
driven or downshifted in each gear without over-revving the engine: (2.0 S)

(2.0 Si,Si)

Recommended Shift Speeds
For best fuel economy, and effective emission control, shift at the
speeds shown for your car:ProCarManuals.comMain Menu t s

Shifting the Automatic
The automatic transmission shift lever has a locking mechanism to prevent accidental shifting into Reverse (R), Park (P) or 2nd (2). Also,
the Automatic Shift Lock prevents you from shifting out of Park unless the brake pedal is already depressed and the ignition switch isin the II position.
Push the button on the shift handle to shift into 2nd, Reverse or
Park; depress the brake pedal and then push the button on the shifthandle to shift out of Park.
: Depress the brake pedal first and push the button, then shift.
: Push the button, then shift.
: Shift as desired.
If you cannot shift out of Park with
the brake pedal depressed and the ignition switch in the II position:

1. Turn the ignition switch off and
remove the key.
2. Insert the key in the Shift Lock Release located to the right of the

shift lever.

3. Press and hold the key down, then press the button on the shifthandle and move the shift lever to

Neutral.

4. Return the key to the ignition switch, depress the brake pedal
and restart the engine. Depress
buttonNOTE:
If you
encounter any problem shifting out of Park, have your
authorized Honda dealer check the system as soon as possible. KEY
Insert

SHIFT LOCK RELEASE

(cont'd)ProCarManuals.comMain Menu t s

Operating Tips

For smoother operation, apply the brakes when shifting from
Neutral or Park to a forward or reverse gear.
When parking: bring the car to a stop with the foot brake, hold the brake on and shift into Park, set the hand brake and then turn off
the engine.

NOTE:

Your 4 speed automatic transmission is equipped with a torque
converter lock-up clutch. Because of this, you may notice what
feels like an extra shift as the clutch engages.
CAUTION: Shift into P only after the car has come to a complete stop.
Shift into or out of R only after the car has come to a complete

stop.

Do not "rev-up" the engine when the brake is on and the shift
lever is in D, S, 2 or R.
When stopped on a hill, use the brakes to hold your position, not the accelerator pedal.Do not shift from N or P into D, S, 2 or R when the engine is
above idle speed. Before shifting into gear, make sure your foot
is firmly on the brake pedal. Do not rest your hand on the shift lever or push the shift button
while driving.

Driving Technique

D-4th
Use the D range for normal in-town and highway driving. The car
will start off in 1st and shift automatically to 2nd, 3rd, and 4th. The
further down you push the accelerator, the later the transmission will shift and the faster the car will accelerate.

S3/S4

The "S" shift selector range changes the shift points under part
throttle acceleration, allowing the transmission to stay in each lower
gear for a longer period before automatically upshifting. With the shift selector in the "S" range, the "S3" indicator light in the dashpanel will come on and the transmission will shift from 1st to 2nd
and 3rd but not 4th. This is especially useful when climbing or
descending grades. While driving in the "S" range, the car's performance is improved but fuel economy is reduced.
Shifting the Automatic (cont'd)ProCarManuals.comMain Menu t s

While driving in the "S" range, you can select 4th gear by pushing
the "S4"
switch. Depending upon vehicle speed and throttle pedal
position, the transmission will shift to 4th gear when the switch is
pressed; the "S4" indicator light in the instrument panel will come
on. Pushing the "S4" switch again will cause the transmission to
downshift to 3rd gear In the "S3" mode. The "S4" indicator light in
the instrument panel will go out, and the "S3" light on the instrument panel will come on.
If the shift lever is moved to any other driving range, the "S4"
switch will be cancelled automatically.

NOTE:
In both the D and S modes, the transmission holds in
2nd while
you are
stopped in gear. When you start moving again, the
transmission shifts to 1st, then 2nd and so on. If rapid acceleration is necessary, depress the accelerator to the
floor; the transmission will automatically shift down according to
load and engine speed. This applies to both D and S ranges.

(cont'd)

S4 SWITCHProCarManuals.comMain Menu t s

R-Reverse
2-2nd

Use 2nd gear
for increased engine braking when driving
downhill,
and increased power when driving uphill; also for driving on slippery
roads, and freeing the car from mud or
sand, where 1 st gear could
provide too much power and cause skidding or wheel-spin. The
maximum recommended speed in 2nd gear is:

60 mph (97
km/h)

CAUTION:

Shift into or out of reverse only after the car has come to a

complete stop; the transmission may be damaged if you shift

while the car is moving.

P-Park

CAUTION:

Use this position when starting the engine , or when parking. Shift

into Park only when the car is COMPLETELY stopped.

N — Neutral
Use when starting the engine or during prolonged idling in traffic.

Shifting the Automatic (cont'd)
ProCarManuals.comMain Menu t s

Towing a Trailer

Your car is designed primarily to carry passengers and a normal
amount of luggage. Although your car is capable of towing a trailer,
there will be an effect on handling, performance, braking, general
vehicle and tire durability and fuel economy. The weight of the trailer plus its cargo must not exceed a total
of 1,000 Ibs. (450 kg).
The gross vehicle weight must not exceed the Gross Vehicle
Weight Rating (GVWR) indicated on the Certification label (see page 127). The gross vehicle weight is the total weight of the
car, driver, passengers, luggage, hitch and trailer tongue load.
The total weight supported by each axle must not exceed the Gross Axle Weight Rating (GAWR). The front and rear GAWR's
are shown on the Certification label (page 127). The
distribution of luggage and passengers in the car, as well as the
tongue load and hitch weight should also be considered in terms of the GAWR, which is the maximum amount of weight that
should be supported over the front and the rear axles. You
should have your car and trailer weighed at a commercial
weighing station to check both the GVWR and GAWR's to
confirm that the total weight and weight distribution are within safe driving limits.
The maximum trailer tongue load must not exceed 100 Ibs. (45 kg). Cargo should be distributed so that the tongue load is
approximately 10% of the total weight of the trailor and its
cargo. This is done by distributing approximately 60% of cargo weight toward the front of the trailer and 40% toward the rear. Never load the trailer so that the back is heavier than the front.
This will seriously affect vehicle handling. Be sure the cargo is
secured so that it will not move during driving. TONGUE LOAD
TRAILER WEIGHT
Maximum: 100 Ibs (45 kg)
Maximum: 1,000 Ibs (450 kg)

(cont'd)ProCarManuals.comMain Menu t s

Towing a Trailer (cont'd)

Hitches

Use only a hitch recommended by your Honda dealer. The hitch

should be bolted securely to the car and installed by a qualified

technician. Do not use a hitch designed for temporary installation
and never use one that attaches only to the bumper.
Trailer Brakes and safety chains
The Honda Automobile Division recommends that trailers equippedwith brakes, should conform to any applicable federal and stateregulations, When using a trailer equipped with electric brakes, a
trailer brake controller that connects to the car's electrical system is recommended. Installing a brake controller that connects to the car's
brake hydraulic system could result in brake fluid contamination or
leaks, A safety chain must always be used between the car and the
trailer. Leave sufficient slack in the chain so that it does not bind in
sharp turns. The chain should cross under the trailer tongue to prevent the tongue from dropping to the ground.

Tires
Make sure your car's are properly inflated. Adjust tire pressure

to the recommended tire pressure indicated on the label attached to
the edge of the driver's door.The trailer tires should be of the proper size, load rating and inflated to the pressure recommended
by the trailer manufacturer.
Trailer Lights
Trailer light must comply with federal, state and local regulations. See your local recreation vehicle dealer or rental agency for the

correct type of lighting and wiring for your trailer, Check for correct
operation of the turn signals and stop lights each time you hitch up.

CAUTION:

Connections to your car's electrical system should be made by
your Honda dealer or a qualified electrician.Improper installation

may damage your vehicle's electrical system and cause a

malfunction of the lights.
ProCarManuals.comMain Menu t s