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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 fuel tank. Change the engine oil and filter
(see page 148 ). 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 Park. 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. Support the front and rear wiper
blade arms with a folded towel or
rag so they do not touch the
windshield. Apply a silicone spray lubricant to
all door and tailgate seals. Also,
apply wax to the painted surfaces
that mate with the door and
tailgate seals. 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 (Normal Conditions) as soon as you
take it out of storage (see page 140 ).
The replacements called for in the maintenance schedule are notneeded unless the car has actually
reached that time or mileage.
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Page 182 of 240
Appearance Care
Regular cleaning and polishing of
your Honda helps to keep it "new" looking. This section gives you hintson how to clean and preserve your
car's appearance: the paint, bright-
work, wheels and interior. Also included are several things you cando to help prevent corrosion. Exterior Care.................................. 184
Washing...................................... 184
Waxing........................................ 185
Aluminum Wheels..................... 185Paint Touch-up........................... 186
Interior Care................................... 187
Carpeting.................................... 187
Fabric.......................................... 187
Vinyl............................................ 187 Seat Belts.................................... 188
Windows..................................... 188
Air Fresheners........................... 188
Corrosion Protection..................... 189
Body Repairs.................................. 190
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Exterior Care
Waxing
Always wash and dry the whole car before waxing it. You should wax
your car, including the metal trim,
whenever water sits on the surface in large patches. It should form into
beads or droplets after waxing.
You should use a quality liquid or paste wax. Apply it according to the
instructions on the container. In
general, there are two types of
products:
Waxes — A wax coats the finish and protects it from damage by exposure
to sunlight, air pollution, etc. Youshould use a wax on your Honda
when it is new. Polishes — Polishes and cleaner/
waxes can restore the shine to paint that has oxidized and lost some of itsshine. They normally contain mild
abrasives and solvents that remove
the top layer of the finish. You should use a polish on your Honda if
the finish does not have its original shine after using a wax.
Cleaning tar, insects, etc. with
removers also takes off the wax.
Remember to re-wax those areas, even if the rest of the car does not
need waxing.
Aluminum Wheels
On some models
Clean your Honda's aluminum alloy
wheels as you do the rest of the exterior. Wash them with the same
solution, and rinse them thoroughly.
The wheels have a protective clear- coat that keeps the aluminum from
corroding and tarnishing. Using
harsh chemicals, including some
commercial wheel cleaners, or stiff
brushes can damage this clear-coat. Only use a mild detergent and soft
brush or sponge to clean the wheels.
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Page 188 of 240
Corrosion Protection
Two factors normally contribute to causing corrosion in your car:
1. Moisture trapped in body cavities. Dirt and road salt that collects in
hollows on the underside of the car stays damp, promoting
corrosion in that area.
2. Removal of paint and protective coatings from the exterior and
underside of the car. Many corrosion-preventive measures
are built into your Honda. You can
help keep your car from corroding
by performing some simple periodic
maintenance:
Repair chips and scratches in the
paint as soon as you discover them.
Inspect and clean out the drain
holes in the bottom of the doors and body.
Check the floor coverings for
dampness. Carpeting and floor
mats may remain damp for a long
time, especially in winter. This dampness can eventually cause
the floor panels to corrode. Use a high-pressure spray to clean
the underside of your car. This is especially important in areas that
use road salt in winter. It is also a
good idea in humid climates and areas subject to salt air. Cars
equipped with ABS have a sensor and wiring at each wheel. Be
careful not to damage them.
Have the corrosion-preventive
coatings on the underside of your
car inspected and repaired
periodically.
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Page 191 of 240
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 pressure of the
compact spare tire every time you
check the other tires. It should be
inflated to:420 kPa (4.2 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 thesame make and model. The compact spare tire has a shorter
tread life than a regular tire. Replaceit when you can see the tread wear
indicator bars. The replacementshould 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 compact wheel is not designed for mounting a regular tire.
Taking Care of the Unexpected INDICATOR
LOCATION
MARK
TREAD WEARINDICATOR
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Changing a Flat Tire
9. Loosen the four wheel nuts 1/2 turn with the wheel wrench. 10.Find the jacking point nearest the
wheel you are removing. Place the
jack under the jacking point. Turn the end bracket clockwise until
the top of the jack contacts the
jacking point. Make sure the
jacking point tab is resting in the
jack notch. 11.Use the extension and wheel
wrench as shown to raise the caruntil the flat tire is off the ground.
CONTINUED
Taking Care of the Unexpected
WHEEL NUTS
JACKING POINT
EXTENSION
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Changing a Flat Tire
12. Remove the wheel nuts and flat tire. Temporarily place the flat tire on the ground with the outside
surface of the wheel facing up.
You could scratch the wheel if you put it face down. 13. Before mounting the spare tire,
wipe any dirt off the mounting surface of the wheel and hub with
a cloth. 14. Put on the spare tire. Put the
wheel nuts back on finger-tight, then tighten them in a crisscross
pattern with the wheel wrench until the wheel is firmly against
the hub. Do not try to tighten
them fully.
Taking Care of the Unexpected
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Page 196 of 240
Changing a Flat Tire
15.Lower the car to the ground and
remove the jack.
16.Tighten the wheel nuts securely in
the same crisscross pattern. Have
the wheel nut torque checked at
the nearest automotive service
facility.
Tighten the wheel nuts to:
110 N .
m (11 kg-m,80 Ib-ft)
17.Put the
flat tire in the supplied
vinyl bag.
CONTINUED
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