
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 theseat 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. Low Oil Pressure
Indicator
This indicator lights when the oil pressure in the engine drops lowenough to cause damage. It should
light when the ignition is ON (II) and
go out after the engine starts. If this
light flashes or stays on when the engine is running, there is a possi-
bility of serious engine damage. Safely pull to the side of the road andshut off the engine as soon as you
can. Turn to page 204 for in- structions and precautions on
checking the engine.
Charging System
Indicator
This light indicates the battery is not being charged. It should come on
when the ignition is ON (II), and goout after the engine starts. If this
light comes on while driving, the
battery is not being charged. Turn to
page 205 for information about what
to do. Parking Brake
and Brake
System
Indicator
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 brakesystem to turn off (see page 125).
2. It can indicate the brake fluid level is low if it remains lit after you
release the parking brake orcomes on while driving. This is
normally due to worn brake pads.
Have your dealer check the
braking system for worn pads or
fluid leaks.
Instruments and Controls
BRAKE
US
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Preparing to Drive
You should do the following checks and adjustments every day before
you drive your car.
1. Make sure all windows, mirrors, and outside lights are clean and
unobstructed. Remove frost, snow,
or ice.
2. Check that the hood and tailgate are fully closed.
3. Visually check the tires. If a tire looks low, use a gauge to check its
pressure.
4. Check that any items you may be carrying with you inside are stored
properly or fastened down
securely. 5. Check the adjustment of the seat
(see page 56).
6. Check the adjustment of the inside and outside mirrors (see
page 66).
7. Check the adjustment of the steering wheel (see page 46).
8. Make sure the doors are securely closed and locked.
9. Fasten your seat belt. Check that your passengers have fastened
their seat belts (see page 7). 10. Turn the ignition ON (II). Check
the indicator lights in the instru-
ment panel.
11. Start the engine (see page 119).
12. Check the gauges and indicator lights in the instrument panel (see
page 35).
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The Braking System
If this happens, you will immediately
notice that the brake pedal goes down much farther and you need to
press on it much harder. A much
longer distance will be needed to stop the car.
Slow the car by downshifting to a
lower gear and removing your foot
from the accelerator pedal. Pull to the side of the road as soon as it issafe. Because of the longer stopping
distance needed, brake system
failure is very hazardous. It is best to
have your car towed, but if you must drive the car in this condition, be
extremely cautious. Have your car
repaired as soon as possible.
Anti-lock Brakes
All U.S. models and the Canadian six-passenger model have an Anti-lockBrake System (ABS) as standard
equipment. It is optional on the
Canadian seven-passenger model.
ABS helps you maintain steering control. It does this by helping you to
prevent the wheels from locking up and skidding.
The ABS is always "On". It requires no special effort or driving technique.
You will feel a pulsation in the brake pedal when the ABS activates.
Activation varies with the amount of traction your tires have. On dry
pavement, you will need to press on
the brake pedal very hard before you
feel the pedal pulsation that means
the ABS has activated. However, youmay feel the ABS activate immedi-
ately if you are trying to stop on
snow or ice. Under all conditions, the
ABS is helping to prevent the wheels from locking so you can retainsteering control. You should con-
tinue to press on the brake pedal
with the same force.
You may feel a slight movement of the brake pedal just after you start
the engine. This is the ABS working. ABS INDICATOR*
* U.S. indicator shown
The ABS is self-checking. If anything goes wrong, the ABS indicator on
the instrument panel comes on (see page 37). This means the Anti-lock
function of the braking system has shut down. The brakes still work like
a conventional system, providing
normal stopping ability. You should
have the dealer inspect your car as soon as possible.
CONTINUED
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Driving in Bad Weather
Visibility — Being able to see clearly in all directions and being
visible to other drivers are important in all weather conditions. This is
more difficult in bad weather. To be
seen more clearly during daylight
hours, turn on your headlights.
Inspect your windshield wipers and
washers frequently. Keep the wind- shield washer reservoir full of the
proper fluid. Have the windshield
wiper blades replaced if they start to streak the windshield or leave parts
unwiped. Use the defrosters and air conditioning to keep the windows
from fogging up on the inside (see page 82). Traction — Check your tires
frequently for wear and properpressure. Both are important in
preventing "hydroplaning" (loss of
traction on a wet surface). In the
winter, mount snow tires on all four
wheels for the best handling.
Watch road conditions carefully, they can change from moment to
moment. Wet leaves can be as slip-
pery as ice. "Clear" roads can have
patches of ice. Driving conditions
can be very hazardous when theoutside temperature is near freezing.
The road surface can become covered with areas of water puddles
mixed with areas of ice, so your
traction can change without warning.
Be careful when downshifting. If
traction is low, you can lock up the drive wheels for a moment and cause
a skid. Be very cautious when passing, or
being passed by other vehicles. The
spray from large vehicles reduces
your visibility, and the wind buffeting can cause you to lose control.
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Towing a Trailer
Your car has a trailer lighting connector. To use the connector,
remove the left rear light cover. Refer to the drawing above for the
wiring color code and purpose of each connector pin. Since the lighting and wiring can be
different for various brands of
trailers, have a technician who is
familiar with your trailer modify its
lighting plug. A converter may be required between the car and trailer
for the lights to work correctly. Before Starting Out
As you are preparing to tow your trailer, do the following:
Measure the trailer's tongue load.
You can do this with a bathroom
scale.
Verify that the hitch and safety chain are securely fastened.Check the condition and air
pressure of all tires on the trailer and your car. Low tire pressure
can seriously affect the handling.
Also check the spare tire. With everything loaded and thetrailer connected, check that therear of the car is not sagging. If so,
redistribute the load in the car. Check that all lights on the car and
trailer are working properly.
Driving
RIGHT TURN SIGNAL
(GREEN/YELLOW)
BRAKE LIGHT
(GREEN/WHITE)TAILLIGHT
(RED/BLACK) LEFT TURN SIGNAL
(GREEN/BLUE)
BACK-UP LIGHT
(GREEN/BLACK)
GROUND
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Towing a Trailer
If you have to stop while going uphill, do not hold the car in place by
pressing on the accelerator. This can cause the automatic transmission to
overheat. Use the parking brake or
footbrake.
When parking your car and trailer, especially on a hill, be sure to follow
all the normal precautions. Turn
your front wheels into the curb, set the parking brake firmly, and put thetransmission in Park. In addition,
place wheel chocks at each of the
trailer's tires. Backing up with a trailer is difficult
and takes practice. Drive slowly,
make small movements with the
steering wheel, and have someone
stand outside to guide you. Grip the
steering wheel on the bottom (rather
than the usual position near the top). Move your hand to the left to get the
trailer to move to the left, and right
to move the trailer right.
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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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Periodic Checks
You should check the following items at the specified intervals. If
you are unsure of how to perform any check, turn to the page given. Engine oil level — Check every
time you fill the fuel tank. See
page 112.
Engine coolant level — Check the
radiator reserve tank every time
you fill the fuel tank. See page 113.
Windshield washer fluid — Check the level in the reservoir monthly.If weather conditions cause you to
use the washers frequently, check
the reservoir each time you stop
for fuel. See page 154. Automatic transmission — Check
the fluid level monthly. See page
155.
Brakes and power steering —
Check the fluid level monthly. See
page 156.
Tires — Check the tire pressure
monthly. Examine the tread for
wear and foreign objects. See page
169.
Battery — Check its condition and
the terminals for corrosion monthly. See page 162. Air conditioning — Check its
operation weekly. See page 168. Lights — Check the operation of
the headlights, parking lights,
taillights, high-mount brake light,
turn signals, brake lights, and
license plate lights monthly. See
page 175.
Maintenance
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