Your Occupant Protection System
Your Honda is equipped with seat
belts and other features that work
together to protect you and your
passengers during a crash.
Seat belts are the most important
part of your occupant protection
system. When worn properly, seat
belts can reduce the chance of serious injury or death in a crash.
For added protection during a
severe frontal collision, all Preludes
sold in the U.S. and the SR and SR
4WS models in Canada have a Supplemental Restraint System
(SRS) with a driver's airbag. The Si
4WS model sold in the U.S also hasa passenger's airbag. Two indicator lights are also part
of your safety system. One reminds
you to make sure you and your passengers wear your seat belts.
The other alerts you to a possible
problem with your supplemental
restraint system (see page 14).
The seats, head restraints, and door
locks also play a role in occupant safety. For example, reclining the
seat back can decrease the effec-
tiveness of your seat belt. Head
restraints can help protect your neck and head, especially during
rear-end impacts. Door locks help
keep your doors from being acciden-
tally opened during a crash. To get the maximum protection
from your occupant protection
system, check the following before
you drive away:
Everyone in the car is wearing a
seat belt properly (see page 6).
Both doors are closed and locked
(see page 16).
Seat backs are upright (see page
16).
There are no loose items that
could be thrown around and hurt
someone during a crash or
sudden stop (see page 17).
By following these guidelines, you
can reduce injuries to yourself and
your passengers in many crash
situations. Remember, however,
that no safety system can prevent all injuries or deaths that can occur
in severe crashes.
Driver and Passenger SafetyProCarManuals.comMain Menu Table of Contents s t
Instruments and Controls
This section gives information
about the controls and displays that
contribute to the daily operation of
your Honda. All the essential
controls are within easy reach.
Control Locations......................... 30
Indicator Lights.............................. 31
Gauges............................................. 37
Speedometer
.............................
37
Tachometer................................. 37
Odometer
.................................... 37
Trip Meter................................... 37
Fuel Gauge..................................
38
Temperature Gauge
..................
38
Controls Near the
Steering
Wheel
....................................... 39
Headlights................................... 40
Daytime Running Lights.......... 40
Instrument Panel Brightness... 41
Turn Signals................................ 41
Windshield Wipers.....................
42
Windshield Washers.................
42
Steering Wheel Adjustment ....
. 43
Steering Wheel Controls............... 44
Cruise Control............................ 44
Horn ............................................ 47
Keys and Locks.............................. 47
Keys.............................................. 47
Ignition Switch........................... 47
Door Locks.................................. 48
Power Door Locks ..................... 48
Trunk.......................................... 50
Seat Adjustments........................... 51
Rear Seat Access........................ 52
Additional Driver' s
Seat
Adjustments...........................
53
Seat Heaters.................................... 54
Folding Rea r
Seat.......................... 55
Hazard Warning............................ 56
Rear Window Defogger ................ 56
Power Windows.............................. 57
Sunroof ...........................................
58
Mirrors ........................................... 59
Parking Brake................................ .
61
Glove Box........................................
.
62
Digital Clock..................................
.
63
Center Console Compartment .... 64
Vanity
Mirror
..............................
64
Cigarette Lighter
..........................
.
65
Ashtray........................................... 65
Interior Lights...............................
.
66
Instruments an
d
ControlsProCarManuals.comMain Menu s t
Indicator Lights
The instrument panel has many
indicators to give you important
information about your car.
Lamp Check
Many of the indicator lights come
on when you turn the ignition
switch ON (II), allowing you to see
that they are working. The instru-
ment panel should look like the
illustration. If an indicator does not
light during this test, it cannot alert
you if that system develops a prob-
lem. Have the dealer check your
car for burned-out bulbs or other
problems.
CONTINUED
HIGH BEAM INDICATOR
FOUR WHEEL STEERING
SYSTEM (4WS) INDICATOR
Instruments and Controls
SUPPLEMENTAL RESTRAINT
SYSTEM INDICATORProCarManuals.comMain Menu Table of Contents s t
Indicator Lights
* The U.S. instrument panel is
shown. Differences for the Canadi-
an model are noted in the text.
Instruments and Controls
CRUISE CONTROL INDICATOR
LOW FUEL INDICATOR CHECK ENGINE LIGHT*
BRAKE LAMP
INDICATOR
TRUNK-OPEN INDICATOR DOOR-OPEN INDICATOR
LOW OIL PRESSURE LIGHT
CHARGING SYSTEM LIGHT SEAT BELT
REMINDER
LIGHT PARKING BRAKE
AND BRAKE
SYSTEM LIGHT* ANTI-LOCK BRAKE SYSTEM
INDICATORProCarManuals.comMain Menu Table of Contents s t
Indicator Lights
Seat Belt Reminder
Light
This indicator lights when you turn the ignition ON (II). It is a reminder
to you and your passengers to protect yourselves by fastening the
seat belts. A beeper also sounds if
you have not fastened your seat
belt.
If you do not fasten your seat belt,
the beeper will stop after a few seconds but the light stays on until
you do. Both the light and the
beeper stay off if you fasten your seat belt before turning on the
ignition.
Charging System
Light
This light indicates the battery is not being charged. It should come
on when the ignition is ON (II), and
go out after the engine starts. If
this light comes on while driving,
the battery is not being charged.
Turn to page 196 for information
about what to do.
Low Oil Pressure
Light
This indicator lights when the oil
pressure in the engine drops low
enough to cause damage. It should
light when the ignition is ON (II)
and go out after the engine starts.
If this light comes on when the
engine is running, there is a possi-
bility of serious engine damage. Safely pull to the side of the road
and shut off the engine as soon as
you can. Turn to page 195 for in-
structions and precautions on
checking the engine.
Canada
Parking Brake
and Brake
System Light
This light has two functions:
1. It lights as a reminder that you
have set the parking brake.
Driving with the parking brake
set can damage the brakes and
tires, and cause the Anti-lock
brake system to turn off (see
page 118).
2. I t
can indicate the brake fluid
level is low if it remains lit after
you release the parking brake or
comes on while driving. This is
normally due to worn brake pads.
Have your dealer check the
braking system for worn pads o r
flui d
leaks.
Instruments an d
Controls
US
BRAKEProCarManuals.comMain Menu Table of Contents s t
Indicator Lights
Supplemental
Restraint System
Indicator
Only on cars equipped with SRS
The SRS light normally comes on
for a few seconds when you turn
the ignition ON (II). If it doesn't, or it stays on after the engine starts,
something is wrong with the
Supplemental Restraint System. It
may also flash on and off to indi-
cate a problem.
If you see any of these indications,
the airbag may not work when
needed in an accident. Take the car
to your dealer promptly for diag-
nosis and service.
Anti-lock Brake
System (ABS)
Indicator
Only on cars equipped with ABS (see
page 117)
This light normally comes on whenyou turn the ignition ON (II) and
goes off after the engine starts. If it
comes on a
t any other time, there is
a problem in the ABS. If this
happens, stop the car in a safe place
and tur n
off the engine. Reset the
system by restarting the engine.
Watch the ABS light. If it does not
go off, or comes back on again
while driving, take the car to your
dealer to have it checked. With the
light on, your car still has normal
braking ability but no anti-lock.
Check Engine
Light
This light comes on for a few
seconds when you turn the ignition
switch ON (II). If it comes on at any
other time, it indicates one of the
engine's emission control systems
may have a problem. Turn to page
167 fo r
information about what to
do.
Brake Lam
p
Indicator
This light normally comes on for a
few seconds when you turn the
ignition switc h
ON (II). If this light
comes on at any other time, it
indicates a brake light does not
work.
A burned out brake light is a
hazard when drivers behind you
cannot tell you are braking. Have
your brake lights repaired right
away.
Instruments an d
Controls
SRS ABS US
Canada
BRAKE LAMP
ProCarManuals.comMain Menu Table of Contents s t
Indicator Lights
Four Wheel Steering
System (4WS)
Indicator
Only on cars equipped with electronic
four wheel steering
This light normally comes on when you turn the ignition ON (II) and
goes off after the engine starts. If it
comes on at any other time, there is
a problem in the 4WS. If this
happens, stop the car in a safe placeand turn off the engine. Reset the
system by restarting the engine.
Watch the 4WS light. If it does not
go off, or comes back on again
while driving, take the car to yourdealer to have the system checked.
The 4WS system is disabled with this light on. The rear wheels are
locked straight ahead, and your car
steers like a conventional car
without 4WS.
Turn Signal and
Hazard Warning
Indicators
The left or right turn signal light
blinks when you signal a lane change or turn. If the light does not
blink or blinks rapidly, it usually
means one of the turn signal bulbs is burned out (see page 164).Replace it as soon as possible, since
other driver s
cannot see that you
are signaling.
When you turn on the Hazard
Warning switch, both turn signal
lights blink. All turn signals on the outside of the car should flash.
High Beam Indicator
This light comes on with the high
beam headlights. See page 40 for information on the headlight
controls.
Instruments and Controls
4WS
Low fuel Indicator
This light comes on as a reminder
that you must refuel soon.
Cruise Control
Indicator
This lights when you set the cruise control. See page 44 for informa-
tion on operating the cruise control.
Trunk-open Indicator
This light comes on if the trunk lid
is not closed tightly.
Door-open Indicator
This light comes on if either door is
not closed tightly.
CRUISE
CONTROL
ProCarManuals.comMain Menu Table of Contents s t
Indicator Lights
"Daytime Running
Lights" Indicator
Canadian models only
This indicator lights when you turn
the ignition to ON (II) with the
headlight switch off and the
parking brake set. It should go off
if you turn on the headlights or
release the parking brake. If it comes on at any other time, it
means there is a problem with the
DRL. There may also be a problem
with the high beam headlights.
Shift Lever Position
Indicator
(Automatic Transmission only)
This indicator shows which shift
position you are in.
If the "D4" indicator light flashes
while driving (in any shift position), it indicates a possible problem in
the transmission. Avoid rapid
acceleration and have the trans- mission checked by an authorized
Honda dealer as soon as possible.
Instruments and Controls
DRL
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