Page 62 of 136
Shifting the 4 or 5 Speed
The fully synchronized manual trans- mission is very easy to shift up or
down. When you slow down for
traffic, steep hills, or corners, shift
to a lower gear before the engine starts to labor. When descendingsteep grades, select a lower gear to
help maintain a safe speed and toprevent the brakes from overheat-
ing.
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 into one of the forward gears before selecting reverse.
On 5 speed transmissions, a safety lockout prevents accidentalshifting 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.
Clutch Pedal Adjustment
Clutch pedal free travel must be adjusted periodically to
compensate for lining wear. There should be approximately 25 mm (1 in) of pedal free travel. If not, or if the clutch seems to slip or
you have difficulty shifting, have your dealer check the clutch adjustment.
CAUTION:
Do not drive with your foot on the clutch pedal as this will cause
premature wear of clutch components.
Do not shift into reverse while the car is moving. Driving with the clutch pedal free travel improperly adjusted can
cause premature wear of the clutch components.
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Page 83 of 136
Brakes
Brake System Design
The diagonally-separated dual serv-
ice brake system is designed so half
the system will still provide braking action if the other half fails.
Stopping the car after losing the brake fluid from half the system will
require more pedal pressure and pedal travel than normal. Also, the
distance required to stop will be longer using only half the brake
system. If the brakes fail suddenly, downshift to a lower gear for increased engine braking, and pull off the road as soon as possible.
It is dangerous to drive your car with a problem in either thebrake electrical or hydraulic system; have your dealer check
both systems if you suspect brake trouble.
Driving through deep water may affect the brakes.Check their effectiveness by pressing the brake pedal gently.
If the car does not slow down at the normal rate, continue
gently applying the brakes, while maintaining a safe speed, until
they dry out and normal performance returns. Do not ride the brakes. In other words, don't put your foot on
the brake pedal unless you intend to brake. This causes excessive brake wear and can damage, or lead to loss of braking
effectiveness through overheating. Your brake lights may also
confuse drivers behind you.
Brake Wear Both front and rear brakes should be inspected for wear at the
intervals shown in the Maintenance Schedule on page 70.
When the brakes require maintenance, use only genuine Honda
replacement parts or their equivalent.
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Page 126 of 136
Catalytic Converter
A catalytic converter is installed in the exhaust system to help
clean-up the harmful exhaust gases that can cause air pollution.
To be effective, the converter must work at high temperature, so don't park your car over dry grass, leaves or anything else that
could burn easily.
To stay effective, the converter must not be contaminated by
leaded gasoline; use only unleaded gas as explained on page 54.
CAUTION:
The converter can be overheated and damaged if it's fed too much
unburned fuel mixture from the engine, so:
— Don't push or tow the car to start it; if the battery is dead, jump start the car as shown on page 110.
— Don't turn the key off while the engine is running above idle
speed.
— Don't change the ignition timing, or remove any emission control
parts.
— Use only the spark plugs specified in this manual. — Don't keep driving your car if it isn't running properly, or if its CHARGE warning light comes on; have it checked by your
Honda dealer.
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