Compact Spare Tire
Your vehicle has a compact spare tire that takes up less space. Use thisspare tire as a temporary replace-
ment only. Get your regular tire
repaired or replaced and put back on
your vehicle 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:60 psi (420 kPa , 4.2 kgf/cm2)
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 vehicle. Do not use your
spare tire on another vehicle
unless it is the same make and
model.
INDICATOR LOCATION MARK
The compact spare tire has a shorter tread life than a regular tire. Replace
it when you can see the tread wear
indicator bars. The replacement should 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 TREAD WEAR INDICATOR BARProCarManuals.comMain Menu Table of Contents s t
Towing
If your vehicle needs to be towed,
call a professional towing service or,
if you belong to one, an organization
that provides roadside assistance.
Never tow your vehicle behind
another vehicle with just a rope or chain. It is very dangerous.
Emergency Towing
There are three popular methods of towing a vehicle:
Flat-bed Equipment — The operator
loads your vehicle on the back of a
truck. This is the best way of trans-
porting your Honda.
Wheel Lift Equipment — The tow
truck uses two pivoting arms that go
under the tires (front or rear) and lift
them off the ground. The other two
tires remain on the ground.
Sling-type Equipment — The tow
truck uses metal cables with hooks on the ends. These hooks go around
parts of the frame or suspension and
the cables lift that end of the vehicle off the ground. Your vehicle's sus-
pension and body can be seriously damaged if this method of towing is
attempted.
If your Honda cannot be transported
by flat-bed, it should be towed with
the front wheels off the ground. If due to damage, your vehicle must be
towed with the front wheels on the
ground, do the following:
Release the parking brake.
Start the engine.
Shift to D4, then to N.
Turn off
the engine.
Improper towing preparation will
damage the transmission. Follow the
above procedure exactly. If you cannot
shift the transmission or start the
engine, your vehicle must be trans-
ported on a flat-bed.
It is best to tow the vehicle no far-
ther than 50 miles (80 km), and
keep the speed below 35 mph (55
km/h).
Trying to lift or tow your vehicle by the
bumpers will cause serious damage. The bumpers are not designed to
support the vehicle's weight.
Taking Care of the Unexpected
NOTICE
NOTICEProCarManuals.comMain Menu Table of Contents s t
Tire Information
Tire Size Designation
A tire's sidewall is marked with a tire
size designation. You will need this
information when selecting replace-
ment tires for your vehicle. The
following explains what the letters and numbers in the tire size
designation mean.
(Example tire size designation)
P205/65R15 92S
P — Applicable vehicle type (tires
marked with the prefix "P" are
intended for use on passenger
vehicles; however, not all tires have this marking).
205 — Tire width in millimeters.
65 — Aspect ratio. The tire's section
height as a percentage of its width.
R — Tire construction code (Radial).
15 — Rim diameter in inches.
92 — Load Index, a numerical code
associated with the maximum load
the tire can carry.
S — Speed Symbol. See the speed
rating chart in this section for additional information.
Wheel Size Designation
Wheels are also marked with important information that you need
if you ever have to replace one. The
following explains what the letters and numbers in the wheel size
designation mean.
(Example wheel size designation)
15
x
6
JJ
15 — Rim diameter in inches.
6 — Rim width in inches.
JJ — Rim contour designation.
Tire Speed Ratings
The chart below shows many of the
different speed ratings currently
being used for passenger vehicle
tires. The speed symbol is part of the
tire size designation on the sidewall of the tire. This symbol corresponds
to that tire's designed maximum safe operating speed.
Technical InformationProCarManuals.comMain Menu Table of Contents s t
Tire Information
Tire Pressure Adjustment For High Speed Driving
Honda strongly recommends that
you not drive faster than posted speed limits and conditions allow. If
you decide it is safe to drive at high speeds, be sure to adjust the cold tire
pressures as shown below. If you do
not adjust the tire pressure, exces- sive heat can build up and cause
sudden tire failure.
Be sure to readjust the pressure for
normal driving speeds. You should
wait until the tires are cold before adjusting the tire pressure (see page
171).
DOT Tire Quality Grading (U.S. Cars)
The tires on your vehicle meet all U.S. Federal Safety Requirements.
All tires are also graded for treadwear, traction, and temperature
performance according to
Department of Transportation (DOT) standards. The following
explains these gradings.
Treadwear
The treadwear grade is a compara- tive rating based on the wear rate ofthe tire when tested under controlled
conditions on a specified government
test course. For example, a tire
graded 150 would wear one and one
half (1-1/2) times as well on the
government course as a tire graded 100. The relative performance of
tires depends upon the actual condi-
tions of their use, however, and may depart significantly from the norm
due to variations in driving habits,
service practices, and differences in
road characteristics and climate.
CONTINUED
Technical InformationProCarManuals.comMain Menu Table of Contents s t
Tire Information
Traction
The traction grades, from highest to lowest, are A, B, and C, and they
represent the tire's ability to stop on
wet pavement as measured under controlled conditions on specified
government test surfaces of asphalt
and concrete. A tire marked C may
have poor traction performance.
Warning: The traction grade as- signed to this tire is based on brak-
ing (straight ahead) traction tests
and does not include cornering (turning) traction. Temperature
The temperature grades are A (the highest), B, and C, representing the
tire's resistance to the generation of
heat and its ability to dissipate heat
when tested under controlled conditions on a specified indoor
laboratory test wheel. Sustained high
temperature can cause the material of the tire to degenerate and reduce
tire life, and excessive temperature
can lead to sudden tire failure. The
grade C corresponds to a level of
performance which all passenger
vehicle tires must meet under the Federal Motor Vehicle Safety
Standard No. 109. Grades B and A
represent higher levels of
performance on the laboratory test
wheel than the minimum required by
law.
Warning: The temperature grade for
this tire is established for a tire that
is properly inflated and not over-
loaded. Excessive speed, underinfla-
tion, or excessive loading either
separately or in combination, can
cause heat build-up and possible tire
failure.
Technical InformationProCarManuals.comMain Menu Table of Contents s t
Warranty Coverages
U.S. Owners
Your new Honda is covered by these
warranties:
New Vehicle Limited Warranty —
covers your new vehicle, except for
the battery, emissions control
systems and accessories, against
defects in materials and
workmanship.
Emissions Control Systems Defects
Warranty and Emissions
Performance Warranty — these two
warranties cover your vehicle's emis- sions control systems. Time, mileage,
and coverage are conditional. Please
read the warranty manual for exact
information.
Original Equipment Battery Limited
Warranty — this warranty gives up
to 100 percent credit toward a
replacement battery.
Seat Belt Limited Warranty — a seat
belt that fails to function properly is covered for the useful life of the
vehicle.
Rust Perforation Limited Warranty
— all exterior body panels are
covered for rust-through from the
inside for the specified time period
with no mileage limit.
Accessory Limited Warranty —
Genuine Honda Accessories are
covered under this warranty. Time
and mileage limits depend on the
type of accessory and other factors. Please read your warranty manual
for details.
Replacement Parts Limited
Warranty — covers all Genuine
Honda replacement parts against defects in materials and workman-
ship.
Replacement Battery Limited
Warranty — provides prorated
coverage for a replacement battery
purchased from a Honda dealer.
Replacement Muffler Lifetime
Limited Warranty — provides
coverage for as long as the pur- chaser of the muffler owns the
vehicle.
Restrictions and exclusions apply to
all these warranties. Please read the1998 Honda Warranty Information
booklet that came with your vehicle
for precise information on warranty coverages. Your Honda's original
tires are covered by their
manufacturer. Tire warranty infor-
mation is in a separate booklet.
Canadian Owners
Please refer to the 1998 Warranty
Manual that came with your vehicle.
Warranty and Customer RelationsProCarManuals.comMain Menu Table of Contents s t
Index
Accessories and Modifications.... 134 Accessories................................. 134
Additional Safety Precaution.... 135Modifications............................. 135
ACCESSORY (Ignition Key
Position)........................................ 70
Adding Automatic Transmission
Fluid........................................ 177
Brake Fluid................................. 183
Engine Coolant........................... 177
Engine Oil................................... 173
Power Steering Fluid................. 184
Windshield Washer Fluid......... 181
Additional Information About
Your Seat Belts........................ 41
Lap Belt......................................... 42
Lap/Shoulder Belt....................... 41
Seat Belt Maintenance................ 42
Seat Belt System Components... 41
Additional Information About
Your SRS.................................. 42
Additional Safety Precautions.... 46 How Your Airbags Work............ 44
How Your SRS Indicator
Works........................................ 46
SRS Components......................... 44
Additives, Engine Oil..................... 175
Adjustments
Mirrors.......................................... 84
Head Restraints........................... 76
Seats.............................................. 74
Steering Wheel............................ 62
Airbag (SRS) ...................................... 7
Air Cleaner Element...................... 185
Air Conditioning............................... 94
Maintenance............................... 194
Usage............................................. 94
Air Outlets (Vents).......................... 96
Air Pressure, Tires........................ 196
Alcohol in Gasoline........................ 128
Antifreeze....................................... 177
Anti-lock Brakes (ABS) Indicator Light..................... 53, 149Operation.................................... 148
Anti-theft Steering Column Lock.. 70
Appearance Care........................... 213
Ashtray.............................................. 89
Audio System................................. 103
Automatic Speed Control................ 64
Automatic Transmission............... 142
Capacity, Fluid........................... 248
Checking Fluid Level................ 182
Shifting........................................ 142
Shift Lever Positions................. 142
Shift Position Indicator............. 142
Shift Lock Release..................... 145
Battery
Charging System
Indicator............................ 52, 235
Jump Starting............................. 230
Maintenance............................... 189
Specifications............................. 249
Before Driving............................... 127
Belts, Seat........................................... 6
Beverage Holder.............................. 86
Body Repair.................................... 219
CONTINUEDProCarManuals.comMain Menu s t
Index
Octane Requirement, Gasoline.... 128
Odometer.......................................... 55
Odometer, Trip................................ 54
Oil Change, How to ......................... 175
Change, When to....................... 164
Checking Engine....................... 131
Pressure Indicator............... 52, 234
Selecting Proper Viscosity
Chart....................................... 174
ON (Ignition Key Position)............ 70
Opening the Hood......................... 130
Operation in Foreign Countries... 254
Outside Mirrors............................... 84
Overheating, Engine..................... 232
Owner Maintenance Checks........ 171
Panel Brightness Control............... 59
Park Gear Position......................... 143
Parking............................................ 146
Parking Brake.................................. 85
Parking Lights.................................. 58
Parking Over Things that Burn... 257
PGM-FI System.............................. 256
Polishing and Waxing................... 215
Power
Door Locks................................... 70
Mirrors.......................................... 84
Steering....................................... 184
Windows....................................... 82
Pre-Drive Safety Checklist............... 9
Pregnancy, Using Seat Belts.......... 17
Protecting Adults............................. 10
Additional Safety Precautions.... 17
Advice for Pregnant Women...... 17
Protecting Children......................... 19 Protecting Infants........................ 27
Protecting Larger Children........ 35
Protecting Small Children.......... 31
Using Child Seats withTethers...................................... 38
Radiator Overheating.................... 232
Radio/Cassette Sound System .... 103
Rear A/C Unit................................ 102
Rear End Towing........................... 244
Rear Lights, Bulb Replacement... 208
Rear View Mirror............................. 84
Rear Window Defogger.................. 62
Rear Window Wiper and Washer.. 61
Reclining the Seat Backs................ 75
Reclining the Second Seats............ 79 Reminder Lights.............................. 51
Remote Transmitter........................ 71 Removing the Second Seats........... 78
Replacement Information Air Cleaner Element.................. 185
Coolant........................................ 179
Engine Oil and Filter................. 175
Fuses........................................... 240
Light Bulbs................................. 206
Schedule..................................... 162
Spark Plugs................................. 187
Timing Belt................................. 195
Tires............................................ 199
Wiper Blades.............................. 191
Replacing Seat Belts After a Crash............................................. 43
Reserve Tank, Coolant.................. 132 Restraint, Child................................ 19
Reverse Gear Position................... 143
Rotation, Tire................................. 199ProCarManuals.comMain Menu s t