
Fuel Economy
The condition of your vehicle and your driving habits are the two mostimportant things that affect the fuel
mileage you get.
Vehicle Condition Always maintain your vehicle accord- ing to the maintenance schedule.
This will keep it in top operating
condition.
An important part of that mainte- nance is the Owner Maintenance
Checks (see page 153). For
example, an underinflated tire
causes more "rolling resistance,"
which uses fuel. It also wears out
faster, so check the tire pressure at
least monthly.
In winter, the build-up of snow on
your vehicle's underside adds weight and rolling resistance. Frequent
cleaning helps your fuel mileage and
reduces the chance of corrosion. Driving Habits
You can improve fuel economy by driving moderately. Rapid acceler-
ation, abrupt cornering, and hard
braking use more fuel.
Always drive in the highest gear that allows the engine to run and acceler-ate smoothly.
Depending on traffic conditions, try
to maintain a constant speed. Every time you slow down and speed up,
your vehicle uses extra fuel. Use the cruise control, when appropriate, to
increase fuel economy. A cold engine uses more fuel than a
warm engine. It is not necessary to "warm-up" a cold engine by letting it
idle for a long time. You can drive
away in about a minute, no matter
how cold it is outside. The engine
will warm up faster, and you get better fuel economy. To cut down on
the number of "cold starts," try tocombine several short trips into one.
The air conditioning puts an extra load on the engine which makes ituse more fuel. Turn off the A/C to
cut down on air conditioning use.
Use the flow-through ventilation
when the outside air temperature is moderate.
Before DrivingMain Menu Table of Contents s t

Tires
Inspection
Every time you check inflation, you should also examine the tires for
damage, foreign objects, and wear.
You should look for:
Bumps or bulges in the tread orside of the tire. Replace the tire if
you find either of these conditions.
Cuts, splits, or cracks in the side
of the tire. Replace the tire if you
can see fabric or cord.
Excessive tread wear. Your vehicle's tires have wear indica-
tors molded into the tread. When the
tread wears down to that point, you
will see a 1/2 inch (12.7 mm) wide band running across the tread. Thisshows there is less than 1/16 inch (1.6 mm) of tread left on the tire. A
tire that is this worn gives very little
traction on wet roads. You should
replace the tire if you can see the
tread wear indicator in three or more
places around the tire. Maintenance
In addition to proper inflation,
correct wheel alignment helps to
decrease tire wear. If you find a tire
is worn unevenly, have your dealer check the wheel alignment.
The tires were properly balanced by the factoiy. They may need to be
rebalanced at some time before theyare worn out. Have your dealer
check the tires if you feel a consis-
tent vibration while driving. A tire should always be rebalanced if it is
removed from the wheel for repair.
CONTINUED
Maintenance
INDICATOR LOCATION MARKS
TREAD WEAR INDICATORSMain Menu Table of Contents s t

Lights
(U.S.: EX)
Replacing the Trunk Light Bulb
The trunk light is available on HX and
EX models in the U.S., and all models in
Canada
1. Remove the lens by carefully prying on the edge of the lens in
the middle with a fingernail file or
a small flat-tip screwdriver. Do not
pry on the edge of the housing around the lens. 2. Remove the bulb by pulling it
straight out of its metal tabs.
3. Push the new bulb into the metal tabs. Snap the lens back in place.
Maintenance
SPOTLIGHT
TRUNK LIGHTMain Menu Table of Contents s t

Changing a Flat Tire
If you have a flat tire while driving, stop in a safe place to change it.
Stopping in traffic or on the shoulder
of a busy road is dangerous. Drive
slowly along the shoulder until you
get to an exit or an area to stop that is far away from the traffic lanes.
1. Park the vehicle on firm, levelground away from traffic. Turn on
the hazard warning lights and turn
the ignition switch to LOCK (0).
2. Put the transmission in Park (automatic) or Reverse (manual).
Apply the parking brake. Have all of the passengers get out of the
vehicle while you change the tire. 3. Open the trunk. Raise the trunk
floor by lifting up on the back edge.
4. Take the tool kit out of the trunk. 5. Unscrew the wing bolt and take the spare tire out of the trunk.
CONTINUED
Taking Care of the Unexpected
The vehicle can easily roll off
the jack, seriously injuring
anyone underneath.
Follow the directions for
changing a tire exactly, and never get under the vehicle
when it is supported only by the
jack.
SPARE TIRE
TRUNK FLOOR
TOOL KIT JACKMain Menu Table of Contents s t

Changing a Flat Tire
15. Remove the wheel cover or center
cap.
Place the flat tire face down in the
trunk well.
16.Remove the spacer cone from the wing bolt, turn it over, and put it
back on the bolt.
17.Secure the flat tire by screwing the wing bolt back into its hole. 18.Store the jack in the trunk with the
end bracket on the left side. Turn
the jack's end bracket to lock it in
place. Store the tool kit.
19. Store the wheel cover or center cap in the trunk. Make sure it does
not get scratched or damaged.
20. Lower the trunk floor, then close the trunk lid.
Taking Care of the Unexpected
WING BOLT
SPACER
CONE
Loose items can fly around the
interior in a crash and could
seriously injure the occupants.
Store the wheel, jack and tools
securely before driving.Main Menu Table of Contents s t

Index
Before Driving............................... 107
Belts, Seat........................................... 6
Beverage Holder.............................. 82
Body Repair.................................... 200
Brakes
Anti-lock System (ABS)............ 135Break-in, New Linings .............. 108
Fluid............................................ 166Light, Burned-out...................... 192
Parking..........................................80
System Indicator.......................... 53
Wear Indicators......................... 134
Brakes, ABS Operation.................................... 134
System Indicator..................
53, 13 7
Braking System............................. .
134
Break-in, New Car......................... 108
Brightness Control, Instruments... 60
Brights, Headlights......................... 59
Bulb Replacement Back-up Lights........................... 193
Brake Lights............................... 192
Front Parking Lights................. 191
Front Side Marker Lights......... 191
Headlights.................................. 189
High-mount Brake Light.......... 194 Interior Light.............................. 195
License Plate Lights.................. 194
Rear Side Marker Lights.......... 193
Specifications............................. 234
Trunk Light................................ 196
Turn Signal Lights..................... 191
Bulbs, Halogen............................... 185
Cables, Jump Starting With.......... 213
Capacities Chart............................. 233 Carbon Monoxide Hazard.............. 47
Carrying Cargo.............................. 116
Cassette Player
Care............................................. 102
Operation.................................... 100
CAUTION, Explanation of............... ii
CD Changer.................................... 103
CD Player........................................ 103
Certification Label......................... 230
Chains............................................. 185
Change Oil
How to......................................... 157
When to....................................... 146
Changing a Flat Tire..................... 207 Changing Engine Coolant............. 161
Charging System Indicator .... 53,
218
Checking
Automatic Transmissio
n
Fluid........................................ 164
Battery Condition...................... 173
Brake Fluid................................. 167
Clutch Fluid................................ 167
Drive Belts.................................. 178
Engine Coolant........................... 112
Engine Oil..............................
111
Fuses........................................... 22 2
Manua
l Transmission Fluid..... 166
Power Steering Fluid................. 168
Checklist, Before Driving............. 120
Cleaner, Air.................................... 169
Cleaning Exterior....................................... 200
Interior........................................ 202
Seat Belts.................................... 202
Vinyl............................................202
Windows..................................... 203
Clock, Setting the............................ 99
Clutch Fluid.................................... 167
CO in the Exhaust......................... 240
Cold Weather, Starting in............. 121Main Menu s t

Index
Compact Spare............................... 206
Consumer Information*................ 244
Controls, Instruments and.............. 49
Coolant
Adding......................................... 155
Checking..................................... 112
Proper Solution.......................... 159
Replacing.................................... 161
Temperature Gauge.................... 56
Corrosion Protection..................... 203
Crankcase Emissions Control
System......................................... 240
Cruise Control Operation............... 64
Customer Relations Office........... 244
DANGER, Explanation of................. ii
Dashboard........................................ 50
Daytime Running Lights................. 59
Dead Battery, What to Do............ 213
Defects, Reporting Safety............. 248
Defog and Defrost........................... 91
Defogger, Rear Window................. 62
Defrosting the Windows................. 91
DEXRON
®
III Automatic
Transmission Fluid.................... 165
Dimensions..................................... 232
Dimming the Headlights................ 59
Dipstick Automatic Transmission........... 165
Engine Oil................................... 112
Directional Signals........................... 60
Disabled, Towing Your Car If...... 227
Disc Brake Wear Indicators......... 134
Disposal of Used Oil...................... 158
Doors
Locking and Unlocking............... 68
Power Door Locks....................... 69
DOT Tire Quality Grading........... 236
Downshifting, 5-speed Manual Transmission.............................. 122
Driver and Passeneer Safety............ 3
Drive Belts.................................... 178
Driving............................................ 119
Economy..................................... 113
In Bad Weather.......................... 138
In Foreign Countries................. 239
Economy, Fuel............................... 113
Emergencies on the Road............. 205
Battery, Jump Starting.............. 213
Brake System Indicator............ 220Changing a Flat Tire................. 207
Charging System Indicator ...... 218
Checking the Fuses................... 223
Low Oil Pressure Indicator...... 217
Malfunction Indicator Lamp .... 219
Manually Closing Moonroof.... 219Overheated Engine................... 211
Emergency Brake............................ 80 Emergency Flashers....................... 62
Emissions Controls........................ 240
Engine
Coolant Temperature Gauge ..... 56
Malfunction Indicator
Lamp.................................
54, 219
Oil Pressur e
Indicator......... 53,
217
Oil, Wha
t
Kind to Use............... 155
Overheating................................ 215
Specifications............................. 232
CONTINUEDMain Menu s t

Index
Ethanol in Gasoline ....................... 238
Evaporative Emissions Controls.. 240
Exhaust Fumes................................ 47
Expectant Mothers, Use of Seat
Belts by.........................................17
Exterior, Cleaning the................... 200
Fabric, Cleaning............................. 202
Fan, Interior...................................... 86
Features, Comfort and Convenience................................. 85
Filling the Fuel Tank..................... 109
Filters
Air................................................169
Oil................................................ 157
5-speed Manual Transmission
Checking Fluid Level................ 166
Shifting the................................. 122
Flashers, Hazard Warning.............. 62
Flat Tire, Changing a.................... 207
Fluids
Automatic Transmission........... 164
Brake...........................................167
Clutch..........................................167
Manual Transmission............... 166
Power Steering........................... 168
Windshield Washer................... 164
FM Stereo Radio
Reception...................................... 94
Folding Rear Seat............................ 76
Foreign Countries, Driving in...... 239
Four-way Flashers........................... 62
Front End, Towing by
Emergency Wrecker................. 227
Fuel..................................................108
Fill Door and Cap....................... 109
Gauge............................................ 56
Octane Requirement................. 108
Oxygenated................................ 238
Reserve Indicator......................... 54
Tank, Filling the......................... 109
Fuses, Checking the...................... 222
Gas Mileage, Improving................ 113
Gasohol........................................... 238
Gasoline.......................................... 108
Fuel Reserve Indicator................ 54
Gauge............................................ 56
Octane Requirement................. 108
Tank, Filling the......................... 109
Gas Station Procedures................. 109
Gauges
Engine Coolant Temperature .... 56
Fuel................................................ 56
Gearshift Lever Positions Automatic Transmission........... 1255-speed Manual Transmission.......................... 122
Glass Cleaning............................... 203
Glove Box......................................... 8 1
Haloge n Headligh t
Bulbs.............. 189
Hazard Warning Flashers............... 62
Headlights
Aiming......................................... 188
Daytime Running Lights............. 59
High Beam Indicator................... 54
High Beams, Turning on............ 59
Low Beams, Turning on............. 59 Reminder Beeper......................... 59
Replacing Halogen Bulbs ......... 189
Turning on....................................
59Main Menu s t