Page 80 of 240

Heating and Cooling
To Cool with A/C
To operate the air conditioning system, press the air conditioning
switch. Set the fan to the desired
speed. You can also use the mode button to direct air out
of the dash and heater vents.
To cool the interior down rapidly after the car has been sitting in the
sun:
1. Start the engine. 2. Turn on the A/C by pressing the
switch.
3. Set the fan to maximum speed.
4. Open the windows partially. Select
and
When the interior reaches a com-
fortable temperature, close the
windows and set the system for
cooling as described above.
Air conditioning places an extra load
on the engine. Watch the engine
coolant temperature gauge (see page 40) when using the A/C in heavy
traffic or driving up long hills. If it
moves near the red zone, turn off the
air conditioning until the gauge reads normally.
To Heat
To warm the interior:
1. Start the engine. 2. Select and
3. Switch the fan to the desired
speed.
4. Adjust the warmth of the air with the temperature control lever.
Comfort and Convenience Features MODE BUTTONS
AIR CONDITIONING SWITCH
FAN CONTROL LEVER
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Heating and Cooling
To Heat and Dehumidify with Air
Conditioning
Air conditioning removes moisture from the air as it operates. Whenused in combination with the heater,
it makes the interior warm and dry.
1. Switch the fan on.
2. Turn on the air conditioning. 3. Select and any desired
mode button.
4. Adjust the temperature control lever so the mixture of heated andcooled air feels comfortable.
This setting is suitable for all driving conditions whenever the outside
temperature is above 32° F (0°C).
CONTINUED
Comfort and Convenience Features
RECIRCULATION AIR BUTTON
FRESH AIR
BUTTON
MODE BUTTONS
TEMPERATURE CONTROL LEVER FAN CONTROL
LEVER
AIR CONDITIONING
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Page 82 of 240

Heating and Cooling
To Defog and Defrost
To remove fog from the inside of the windows:
1. Switch the fan on.
2. Turn on the air conditioning. 3. Select and
4. Adjust the temperature control lever so the airflow from the
defroster vents feels warm.
5. Turn on the rear window defogger to help clear the rear window.
To remove exterior frost or ice from the windshield and side windowsafter the car has been sitting out in
cold weather:
1. Start the engine. 2. Select and
3. Switch the fan and temperature
controls to maximum. To rapidly remove exterior frost or
ice from the windshield (on very cold days), first select Once the
windshield is clear, select to
avoid fogging the windows.
These settings direct all the air flow to the defroster vents at the base ofthe windshield and the side windowdefroster vents. The air flow will get
warmer and clear the windows faster as the engine warms up. You can
close the side vents with the dial
beside each vent. This will send more warm air to the windshielddefroster vents.
For safety, make sure you have a
clear view through all the windows
before driving away.
To Turn Everything Off
To shut off the system temporarily, slide the fan speed and temperature
control levers all the way to the left.
You should shut the system com- pletely off only for the first few
minutes of driving in cold weather,until the engine coolant warms up
enough to operate the heater. Keep
the fan on at all other times so stale air does not build up in the interior.
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Page 83 of 240
Heating and Cooling
Rear A/C Unit (U.S. models only)
The rear A/C can be used when the
A/C switch on the front control panel is ON. Turn the rear A/C on
by moving the fan control lever outof the "OFF" position. The indicator
will come on. Adjust the fan speed by sliding the fan control lever. To
change the direction of air flow,
move the tab in the center of each
vent up-and-down and side-to-side.
Comfort and Convenience Features
FAN CONTROL
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Page 134 of 240

Maintenance
This section explains why it is important to keep your car well
maintained and to follow basic
maintenance safety precautions.
This section also includes Maintenance Schedules for normal
driving and severe driving conditions,
a Maintenance Record, and
instructions for simple maintenance
tasks you may want to take care of
yourself.
If you have the skills and tools
required to perform more complex
maintenance tasks on your Honda,
you may want to purchase the Service Manual. See page 233 for
information on how to obtain a copy, or see your Honda dealer.
Maintenance Safety....................... 136
Maintenance Schedule.................. 138
Maintenance Record..................... 142
Periodic Checks............................. 144
Fluid Locations............................... 145
Engine Oil....................................... 146
Checking Engine Oil................. 146
Adding......................................... 146
Recommended Oil..................... 147
Additives..................................... 148
Oil and Filter Changes.............. 148
Cooling System.............................. 150
Checking the Engine Coolant
Level........................................ 150
Adding Engine Coolant............. 151
Replacing Engine Coolant........ 152
Windshield Washers..................... 154
Automatic Transmission Fluid..... 155
Brake Fluid..................................... 156
Brake System............................. 156
Anti-lock Brake System............ 157
Power Steering............................... 157
Air Cleaner..................................... 158
Spark Plugs..................................... 160
Replacement............................... 160
Specification............................... 161
Battery............................................ 162
Windshield Wipers........................ 165
Air Conditioning............................. 168 Drive Belts...................................... 169
Tires................................................ 169 Inflation....................................... 170
Inspection................................... 171
Maintenance............................... 171
Tire Rotation.............................. 172 Replacing Tires and Wheels .... 172
Wheels and Tires....................... 173
Winter Driving........................... 173 Snow Tires.............................. 174
Tire Chains............................. 174
Lights.............................................. 175 Headlight Aiming...................... 175
Replacing Bulbs......................... 177
Storing Your Car............................ 182
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Engine Oil, Cooling System
If you change Your own oil, please
dispose of the used oil properly. Put it
in a sealed container and take it to a
recycling center. Do not discard it in a
trash bin or dump it on the ground.
The oil and filter should be changed every 6 months or 12,000 km (7,500
miles), whichever comes first. Under severe driving conditions, they
should be changed every 3 months
or 6,000 km (3,750 miles). See page 137 for a description of severe
driving conditions. Checking the Engine Coolant
Level
Check the level of the engine coolant
by looking at the radiator reserve
tank next to the battery. If the level
is at or below the MIN line, add
coolant to bring it up to the MAX line.
Inspect the cooling system for leaks.
This coolant should always be a mixture of 50% antifreeze and 50%
water. Never add straight antifreeze or plain water. Always use Genuine Honda Anti-
freeze/Coolant. The cooling systemcontains many aluminum compo-
nents which can corrode if animproper antifreeze is used. Someantifreeze, even though labeled as
safe for aluminum parts, may not
provide adequate protection.
Maintenance
NOTICE
RESERVE TANK
MIN
MAX
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Cooling System
Adding Engine Coolant If the reserve tank is completelyempty, you should also check the
coolant level in the radiator.
1. Make sure the engine and radiator
are cool.
RADIATOR CAP
2. Turn the radiator cap counter- clockwise, without pressing down
on it, until it stops. This relieves
any pressure remaining in the
cooling system.
3. Remove the radiator cap by pushing down and turningcounterclockwise.
4. The coolant level should be up to
the base of the filler neck. Addcoolant if it is low.
5. Put the radiator cap back on. Tighten it fully.
6. Pour coolant into the reserve tank. Fill it to halfway between the MAX
and MIN marks. Put the cap backon the reserve tank.
Maintenance
RESERVE TANK
Removing the radiator cap
while the engine is hot can
cause the coolant to spray out,
seriously scalding you.
Always let the engine and radiator cool down before
removing the radiator cap.
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Page 151 of 240
Cooling System
Do not add any rust inhibitors or other additives to your car's cooling
system. They may not be compatible
with the coolant or engine compo- nents.
Replacing Engine Coolant
The cooling system should be completely drained and refilled with
new coolant according to the time
and distance recommendations in
the maintenance schedule. Only use
recommended antifreeze.
Draining the coolant requires access
to the underside of the car. Unless
you have the tools and knowledge,
you should have this maintenance done by a skilled mechanic. 1. Start the engine. Turn the heater
temperature control dial to
maximum heat and turn off theengine. Open the hood. Make sure
the engine and radiator are cool to
the touch.
2. Remove the radiator cap. DRAIN BOLT
3. Loosen the drain plug on the bottom of the radiator. Thecoolant will drain through thesplash guard. Remove the drain
bolt from the engine block.
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