1992 HONDA PRELUDE tires

Engine Belts, Tires

Engine Belts

Check the condition of the two
engine belts. Examine the edges of
each belt for cracks or fraying.
Check the tension of each belt by pushing on it with your thumb
midway between the pulleys.
The belts should have the following "play" or deflection.
Alternator belt:
10.0 — 12.0 mm (0.39 — 0.47 in)

Power steering belt:
13.5 — 16.5
mm
(0.53
—
0.65 in)
If you see signs of wear or loose-

ness, have your dealer adjust or

replace the belts. Your dealer will
check these belts as part of the

normal scheduled maintenance.
Tires

Check the inflation and condition
of your car's tires at least once a

month.

Inflation

Check the pressure in the tires
when they are cold. This means the car has been parked for at least
three hours. If you have to drive
the car before checking the tire
pressure, the tires can still be
considered "cold" if you drive less than one mile.
If you check the pressure when the
tires are hot (the car has been
driven several miles), you will see
readings 28 to 41 kPa (0.3 to 0.4
kg/cm2, 4 to 6 psi) higher than the
cold reading. This is normal. Do not
let air out to match the specified
cold pressure. The tire will be

underinflated.

Maintenance
POWER STEERING BELT

ALTERNATOR
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Tires

The correct cold tire pressures are:
(US: S, Canada: S)
205 kPa (2.1 kg/cm2, 30 psi)

(US: Si, Si 4WS, Canada: SR, SR 4WS)

220 kPa (2.2 kg/cm2, 32 psi)

Compact spare:

415 kPa(4.15 kg/cm2, 60 psi)

These pressures are also given on
the tire information label on the driver's door jamb. Remember to
check the pressure in the spare tire
at the same time. You should get your own tire
pressure gauge and use it at all
times. That makes it easier for you
to tell if a pressure loss is caused by
a tire problem and not a variation
between gauges.
Keeping the tires properly inflated
provides you with the best combi-
nation of riding comfort, handling
and tread life. Underinflated tires
wear unevenly, reduce you car's
handling, and are more likely to fail
because of higher temperatures.
Overinflated tires make your car
ride more harshly, are more prone
to damage from road hazards, and
wear unevenly.
Inspection

Every time you check inflation, you
should also examine the tires for
damage, foreign objects, and wear.
You should look for:
Bumps or bulges in the tread or
side of the tire. Replace the tire if
you find either of these condi-
tions. Cuts, splits, or cracks in the side
of the tire. Replace the tire if you
can see fabric or cord.
Excessive tread wear.

CONTINUED

Maintenance

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Tires

Your car's tires have wear indica-
tors molded into the tread. When
the tread wears down to that point,
you will see a 12.7 mm (1/2 inch)
wide band running across the tread.
This shows there is less than 1.6 mm (1/16 inch) of tread left on the
tire. A tire that is this worn gives
very little traction on wet roads.
You should replace the tire if you
can see the tread wear indicator in
three or more places around the

tire.
Maintenance

In additio n
to proper inflation,
correct wheel alignment helps to
decrease tire wear. You should get your car's wheel alignment check-
ed every 12 months or 24,000 km
(15,000 miles).
The tires were properly balanced
by the factory. They may need to
be rebalanced at some time before
they are worn out. Have your
dealer check the tires if you feel a
consistent vibration while driving.
A tire should always be rebalanced
if it is removed from the wheel.
Make sure the installer balances
the wheels when you have new
tires installed. This increases riding
comfort and tire life.
Tire Rotation

To help increase tire life and
distribute wear more evenly, you
should have the tires rotated every 12,000 km (7,500 miles). Move the
tires to the positions shown in the
chart each time they are rotated.

Maintenance
INDICATOR
LOCATION
MARKS
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Tires

Replacing Tires

The tires that came with your Honda were selected to match the
performance capabilities of the car
and provide the best combination of
handling, ride comfort, and long life.
You should replace them with
radial tires of the same size, load
range, and speed rating. Mixing
radial and bias-ply or bias-belted tires on your car can reduce its
braking ability, traction, and
steering accuracy.
It is best to replace all four tires at
the same time. If that is not possi-
ble or necessary, then replace the two front tires or the two rear tires
as a pair. Replacing just one tire
can seriously affect your car's han-

dling.

If you ever need to replace a wheel,
make sure you use the same wheel
that originally came on your Honda.
Replacement wheels are available
at your Honda dealer. Wheels and Tires

Wheel:
(US: S, Canada: S)
14 x 5.5 JJ

(US: Si, Si 4WS, Canada: SR, SR 4WS)
15
x
6.5 JJ

Tire:
(US: S, Canada: S)

185/70R14 87H

(US: Si, Si 4WS, Canada: SR, SR 4WS)
205/55R15 87V

DOT Tire Quality Grading

(US Cars)

The tires on your car meet all U.S.
Federal Safety Requirements. All
tires are also graded for treadwear,

traction, and temperature perform-
ance according to Department of

Transportation (DOT) standards.

The following explains these

gradings.
Treadwear

The treadwear grade is a compara-

tive rating based on the wear rate
of the tire when tested under con-

trolled conditions on a specified

government test course. For exam-

ple, a tire graded 150 would wear

one and one half (1-1/2) times as

well on the government course as a
tire graded 100. The relative per-

formance of tires depends upon the

actual conditions of their use, how-

ever, and may depart significantly

from the norm due to variations in

driving habits, service practices

and differences in road character-

istics and climate.

CONTINUED

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Tires

Traction

The traction grades, from highest
to lowest, are A, B, and C, and they
represent the tire's ability to stop
on wet pavement as measured
under controlled conditions on
specified government test surfaces
of asphalt and concrete. A tire
marked C may have poor traction

performance.

Warning: The traction grade as-
signed to this tire is based on brak-
ing (straight ahead) traction tests
and does not include cornering
(turning) traction.
Temperature

The temperature grades are A (the
highest), B, and C, representing the
tire's resistance to the generation
of heat and its ability to dissipate
heat when tested under controlled
conditions on a specified indoor
laboratory test wheel. Sustained
high temperature can cause the
material of the tire to degenerate
and reduce tire life, and excessive
temperature can lead to sudden tire
failure. The grade C corresponds to a level of performance which all
passenger car tires must meet
under the Federal Motor Vehicle
Safety Standard No. 109. Grades B
and A represent higher levels of
performance on the laboratory test
wheel than the minimum required
by law. Warning: The temperature grade
for this tire is established for a tire
that is properly inflated and not

overloaded. Excessive speed,

underinflation, or excessive loading.
either separately or in combination,
can cause heat build-up and
possible tire failure.
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Tires

Winter Driving

Tires that are marked "M+S" or "All Season" on the sidewall have
an all-weather tread design. They should be suitable for most winter
driving conditions. Tires without
these markings are designed for optimum traction in dry conditions.
They may not provide adequateperformance in winter driving.
For the best performance in snowy
or icy conditions, you should install
snow tires or tire chains. They may
be required by local laws under certain conditions. Snow Tires
If you mount snow tires on your
Honda, make sure they are radial
tires of the same size and load
range as the original tires. Mount snow tires on all four wheels to
balance your car's handling in all
weather conditions. Keep in mind
the traction provided by snow tires on dry roads may not be as high as
your car's original-equipment tires.
You should drive cautiously even
when the roads are clear. Check
with the tire dealer for maximum speed recommendations.
Tire Chains Mount snow chains on your car
when warranted by driving condi-
tions or required by local laws.
Make sure the chains are the cor-
rect size for your tires. Install them
only on the front tires. If metal
chains are used, they must be SAE
class"S". Cable type traction de-
vices can also be used. When installing chains, follow the
manufacturer's instructions and
mount them as tightly as you can.
Drive slowly with chains installed.
If you hear the chains contacting
the body or chassis, stop and
tighten them. If they still make
contact, slow down until it stops.
Remove the chains as soon as you
begin driving on cleared roads.
Chains of the wrong size or that are
improperly installed can damage
your car's brake lines, suspension,
body, and wheels. Stop driving if
you hear the chains hitting any part

of
the car.
Maintenance

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Storing Your Car
If you need to park your car for an
extended period (more than 1
month), there are several things
you should do to prepare it for
storage. Proper preparation helps
prevent deterioration and makes it
easier to get your car back on the
road. It is best to store your car indoors if at all possible. Fill the gas tank.
Change the engine oil and filter

(see page 137).

Wash and dry the exterior
completely.
Clean the interior. Make sure the
carpeting, floor mats, etc. are
completely dry.
Leave the parking brake off. Put
the transmission in Reverse (5-
speed) or Park (automatic). Block the rear wheels.
If the car is to be stored for a
longer period, it should be
supported on jackstands so the
tires are off the ground.
Leave one window open slightly
(if the car is being stored indoors).
Disconnect the battery.
Cover the car with a "breathable" car cover, one made
from a porous material such as
cotton. Nonporous materials,
such as plastic sheeting, trap
moisture which can damage the
paint. If possible, run the engine for a
while periodically (preferably once a month). If you store your car for 12 months
or longer, have your Honda dealer
perform the inspections called for
in the 24 months/48,000 km (30,000
miles) maintenance schedule as
soon as you take it out of storage
(see page 133). The replacements
called for in the maintenance
schedule are not needed unless the
car has actually reached that time or mileage.

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Compact Spare Tire

Your car has a compact spare tire
that takes up less space. Use this
spare tire as a temporary replace-
ment only. Get your regular tire
repaired or replaced and put back
on your car as soon as you can.
Check the inflation of the compact
spare tire every time you check the
other tires. It should be inflated to: 415 kPa (4.15 kg/cm2, 60 psi)
Follow these precautions whenever

you are using the compact spare

tire:

Do not exceed 50 mph (80 km/h)
under any circumstances. This tire gives a harsher ride and
less traction on some road sur-
faces than the regular tire. Use
greater caution while driving on

this tire.
Do not mount snow chains on the

compact spare.

The wheel
of the compact spare
tire is designed especially to fit
your car. Do not use your spare
tire on another car unless it is the
same make and model. The compact spare tire has a
shorter tread life than a regular
tire. Replace it when you can see
the tread wear indicator bars. The
replacement should be the same
size and design tire, mounted on
the same wheel. The compact spare
tire is not designed to be mounted
on a regular wheel, and the com- pact wheel is not designed for
mounting a regular tire.

Taking Care of the Unexpected
INDICATOR

LOCATION

MARK

TREAD WEARINDICATOR

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