Air Conditioning System
Your car's air conditioning is a sealed system. Any major maintenance,
such as recharging, should be done
by a qualified technician. You can do a couple of things to make sure the
air conditioning works efficiently.
Periodically check the engine's
radiator and air conditioning
condenser for leaves, insects, and dirt stuck to the front surface. These
block the air flow and reduce cooling efficiency. Use a light spray from a
hose or a soft brush to remove them.
The condenser and radiator fins bend
easily. Only use a low-pressure spray
or soft-bristle brush to clean them.
Run the air conditioning at least once
a week during the cold weather
months. Run it for at least ten
minutes while you are driving at a
steady speed with the engine at
normal operating temperature. This circulates the lubricating oil con-
tained in the refrigerant. If the air conditioning does not get as
cold as before, have your dealer
check the system. Recharge the
system with Refrigerant HFC-134a (R-134a). (See Specifications on page 220.)
Whenever you have the air conditioning
system serviced, make sure the service
facility uses a refrigerant recycling
system. This system captures the refrigerant for reuse. Releasing
refrigerant into the atmosphere can
damage the environment.
Maintenance
AIR CONDITIONING
CONDENSER
NOTICE
NOTICEProCarManuals.comMain Menu Table of Contents s t
If Your Engine Overheats
4. If the temperature gauge stays at the red mark, turn off the engine.
5. Wait until you see no more signs of steam or spray, then open the
hood.
6. Look for any obvious coolant leaks, such as a split radiator hose.
Everything is still extremely hot, so use caution. If you find a leak, it
must be repaired before you
continue driving (see Towing on
page 215).
7. If you don't find an obvious leak, check the coolant level in the
radiator reserve tank (see page113). If the level is below the
MIN mark, add coolant to halfway
between the MIN and MAX marks.
8. If there was no coolant in the reserve tank, you may also have to
add coolant to the radiator. Let the
engine cool down until the pointer reaches the middle of the tempera-
ture gauge, or lower, before check-
ing the radiator.
9. Using gloves or a large heavy cloth, turn the radiator cap
counterclockwise, without pushing
down, to the first stop. This
releases any remaining pressure in
the cooling system. After the
pressure releases, push down on
the cap and turn it until it comes
off.
10.Start the engine and set the
temperature control lever tomaximum. Add coolant to the
radiator up to the base of the filler
neck. If you do not have the
proper coolant mixture available,
you can add plain water. Remember to have the coolingsystem drained and refilled with
the proper mixture as soon as you
can.
11. Put the radiator cap back on tightly. Run the engine and watch
the temperature gauge. If it goes
back to the red mark, the engine
needs repair. (See Towing on
page 215.)
12.If the temperature stays normal, check the coolant level in the
radiator reserve tank. If it has
gone down, add coolant to the MAX mark. Put the cap back on
tightly.
Taking Care of the Unexpected
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.ProCarManuals.comMain Menu Table of Contents s t
Index
Outside Mirrors............................... 64
Overheating, Engine..................... 204
Owner Maintenance Checks........ 146
Panel Brightness Control............... 41
Park Gear Position......................... 121
Parking............................................ 124
Parking Brake.................................. 65
Parking Lights.................................. 40
Parking Over Things that Burn... 227
PGM-FI System.............................. 226
Polishing and Waxing................... 187
Power
Door Locks................................... 50
Mirrors.......................................... 64
Steering....................................... 159
Windows....................................... 62
Pregnancy, Using Seat Belts.......... 10
Proper Seat Belt Usage..................... 7
Radiator Overheating.................... 204
Radio/Cassette Sound System....... 83
Rear A/C Unit.................................. 82
Rear End Towing........................... 215
Rear Lights, Bulb Replacement... 181
Rear View Mirror............................. 64
Rear Window Defogger.................. 44
Rear Window Wiper and Washer.. 43
Reclining the Seat Backs................ 55
Reclining the Second Seats............ 59
Reminder Lights.............................. 33
Remote Transmitter........................ 51
Removing the Second Seats........... 57
Replacement Information Air Cleaner Element.................. 160
Coolant........................................ 154
Engine Oil and Filter................. 150
Fuses........................................... 211Light Bulbs................................. 179
Schedule..................................... 140
Spark Plugs................................. 162
Timing Belt................................. 170
Tires............................................ 174
Wiper Blades.............................. 166
Replacing Seat Belts After a
Crash............................................. 11
Reserve Tank, Coolant.................. 113
Restraint, Child................................ 20
Reverse Gear Position................... 121
Rotation, Tire................................. 174
Safety Belts......................................... 5
Safety Defects, Reporting*.......... 234
Safety Labels, Location of.............. 30
Safety Messages................................ ii
Seat Belts............................................ 5
Advice for Pregnant Women...... 10
Cleaning...................................... 189
Frayed or Torn............................. 11
Maintenance................................. 11
Reminder Light and Beeper....... 34
Replacement................................. 11
System Components...................... 6
Tether Attachment Points.......... 26
Use During Pregnancy................ 10
Wearing a Lap/Shoulder Belt...... 7
Wearing the Lap Belt.................... 9
Seats.................................................. 54
Adjustments................................. 54
Driver's Seat Power
Height Adjustment.................. 55
Folding the Second Seats ........... 58ProCarManuals.comMain Menu s t
