1992 HONDA PRELUDE instrument panel

Supplemental Restraint System

The Honda
Supplemental Restraint
System (SRS) is standard on all
Preludes sold in the U.S. and the
SR, SR 4WS sold in Canada.
The SRS includes the steering
wheel airbag assembly, sensors in the dashboard, and a control unit
with sensors behind the center

console.

(On Si 4WS model)
The system also has a dashboard-
mounted airbag assembly for the

passenger.

The sensors are decelerometers,
set to trigger in a frontal impact that generates more force than a 10
mile per hour barrier crash. For the
SRS to activate, at least two sen-
sors must trigger. This duplication
is to prevent accidental activation. When the control unit receives
trigger signals from at least two
sensors, it sends voltage to the
airbag. The control unit stores this
charge in capacitors to insure
reliability even if a severe impact damages the car's battery or
electrical connections.
The electrical charge sent to the
airbag assembly ignites its propel-
lant, which burns instantaneously.
The gas produced by the burning propellant inflates the airbag in
about 40 milliseconds (1/25 of a

second).

The airbag is vented so it stays inflated for only an instant and
does not block the driver's vision.
Smoke from the burned propellant
comes out of the airbag and into
the car's interior. This is normal
and does not mean there is a fire.
The airbag collapses onto the driver's lap. The airbag unit can inflate only one
time. After use, your Honda dealer
must check the complete Supple-
mental Restraint System and re-
place the airbag assembly.
To ensure long-term reliability, the
SRS uses gold-plated electrical
connections throughout. Exposed
components are sealed with epoxy.
The control unit monitors the SRS circuitry whenever the ignition is
ON (II). If the control unit senses
any faults, it turns on the SRS
indicator light on the instrument
panel. Take the car to your Honda
dealer to diagnose and repair the system as soon as possible.
The SRS needs no regular mainte-
nance other than an inspection by
your Honda dealer ten years after

manufacture.

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Four Wheel Steering

The Si 4WS model in the U. S and
the SR 4WS model in Canada are
equipped with an electronic Four
Wheel Steering system.
As inputs, the 4WS system uses a
vehicle speed sensor and a sensor to measure how far the front
wheels are turned.
The electronic control unit for 4WS system uses these inputs to deter-
mine which direction to steer the
rear wheels, and at what angle. Depending on vehicle speed and the
angle of the front wheels, the rear
wheels will be "countersteered"
(steered in the opposite direction of
the front wheels) or "same-steered"
(steered in the same direction as
the front wheels). The 4WS electronic control unit
drives an electric motor built into
the rear steering box. Sensors for
rear wheel angle and speed provide
feedback. The electronic control
unit uses this feedback to compare
the actual rear wheel angle to the
desired angle.
When the driver turns the front
wheels with the car traveling less
than 18 mph (30 km/h), the rear
wheels are countersteered. The angle of countersteer increases as
the angle of the front wheels in-
creases, to a maximum counter-
steer angle of six degrees. This
improves response when parallel
parking or making sharp turns.
Above 18 mph (30 km/h), the rear
wheels are same-steered as the driver begins to turn the steering
wheel. The rear wheel angle for
any given steering wheel angle is
not fixed; it increases as vehicle speed increases. This improves
response in lane-changing maneu-
vers.
As the driver continues to turn the
steering wheel, the rear wheels are
steered back to the straight-ahead
position and then to countersteer
mode. As with same steer, the
angle of countersteer varies with
vehicle speed; increasing and then decreasing as the speed rises. This
gives improved handling in low, medium, and high speed curves.
The 4WS system's electronic
control unit monitors the sensors
whenever the ignition is ON. If it detects a problem anywhere in the
system, it lights the 4WS indicator
on the instrument panel and turns
the system off. With the system off,
the rear wheels remain pointed
straight ahead. Your car will then
drive like a conventional car
without 4WS.

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Index

Ignition
Keys.............................................. 47

Switch.......................................... 47

Timing Control System........... 212
Indicator Lights,
Instrument

Panel............................................. 31

Infant Restraint.............................. 19
Inflation, Proper Tire..................
158
Inside Mirror...................................
59
Inspection, Tire.............................
159
Instrument Panel............................
30
Instrument Panel Brightness....... 41
Interior Cleaning..........................
179
Interior Lights................................
66
Introduction........................................ i
Jacking up the Car.......................
185

Jack, Tire...................................... .

185

Jump Starting...............................
.

191

Keys.................................................. 4
7

Label, Certification...................... 204
Lane Change, Signaling................ 41
Lap/Shoulder Belts......................... .
6
Leaking of Exhaust into Car........ 25

Lighter, Cigarette.......................... 65

Lights
Bulb Replacement.................... 164

Indicator....................................... 3 1

Parking........................................
. 40

Turn Signal.................................. 41

Loading Cargo..............................
106

LOCK (Ignitio n
Key Position).....

47

Locks
Anti-theft Steerin
g Column..... 47
Fuel Filler Door........................
100
Glove Box................................... .
62
Power Door.................................. 48

Trunk...........................................

50

Low Coolan t
Level.......................
139

Lower Gear
,
Downshifting to a . 112

Low Oil Pressure Light........ 33, 195

Lubricant Specifications Chart.
206

Luggage.........................................
106

Maintenance.................................. 127

Periodi
c Items........................... 133

Record................................. 131-

132

Schedule ............................ .
128-129

Manual Transmission..................
111

Manual Transmissio n
Fluid.......
145
Maximum Shif
t
Speeds....... 112, 115
Meters, Gauges............................... 37
Methanol in Gasoline..................... 98
Mirrors, Adjusting......................... 59
Neutral Gear Position..................
114
New Vehicl e
Break-in................... 98
Normal Shift Speeds....................
111
NOTICE, Explanatio n
of................ ii

Numbers, Identification..............
204

Occupant Protectio n
System ......... 4

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