1998 HONDA PRELUDE service

Service Station Procedures

4. Remove the dipstick again and check the level. It should be
between the upper and lower marks.
If it is near or below the lower mark,
see Adding Oil on page 173. Engine Coolant Check
Look at the coolant level in the
radiator reserve tank. Make sure it is
between the MAX and MIN lines. If
it is below the MIN line, see Adding
Engine Coolant on page 177 for
information on adding the proper
coolant. Refer to Owner Maintenance
Checks on page 171 for information
on checking other items in your
Honda.

Before Driving
UPPER MARK
LOWER MARK
MAX
MIN
RESERVE TANKProCarManuals.comMain Menu Table of Contents s t

Towing a Trailer

Towing Safety

Your vehicle will not stop as quickly
with a trailer in tow. Leave extra distance between your vehicle and
other vehicles. Avoid braking or
turning suddenly. This could cause
the trailer to jackknife or possibly
turn over.
Keep in mind that your total vehicle
is now much longer. Leave more
room when making turns. The trailer
tracks a smaller arc than the vehicle
and can hit or run over something
that the vehicle misses. When
passing another vehicle, make sure
the trailer is clear before changing

lanes.
The vehicle/trailer combination is
more affected by crosswinds andbuffeting. When being passed by a
large vehicle, keep a constant speed and steer straight ahead. If there is
too much wind buffeting, slow down
to get out of the other vehicle's air

turbulence.

Towing a trailer puts an extra load on your vehicle. You should have
your vehicle serviced according to the "Maintenance Schedule undersevere driving conditions" on page 166. This extra load is magnified when
you are driving in hilly terrain.
Watch the temperature gauge closely when climbing hills. If it gets
near the hot area, turn off the airconditioning (if it is on). If this does
not reduce the heat, it may be
necessary to pull to the side of the
road and wait for the engine to cool. If the automatic transmission shifts
frequently between 3rd and 4th
gears, put it in D3. This will help prevent the transmission from
overheating. Help keep the brakes
from overheating by shifting to a
lower gear when going downhill.
If you have to stop while going uphill,do not hold the vehicle in place by
pressing on the accelerator. This can cause the automatic transmission to
overheat. Use the parking brake or
footbrake.

DrivingProCarManuals.comMain Menu Table of Contents s t

Maintenance

This section explains why it is important to keep your vehicle wellmaintained and to follow basic
maintenance safety precautions.
This section also includes Maintenance Schedules for normaldriving and severe driving conditions,
a Maintenance Record, and instruc-
tions for simple maintenance tasks
you may want to take care of
yourself.
If you have the skills and tools to per-
form more complex maintenance
tasks on your Honda, you may want to purchase the Service Manual. See
page 271 for information on how toobtain a copy, or see your Honda

dealer.
Maintenance Safety....................... 160
Important Safety Precautions ..161
Maintenance Schedule.................. 162
Required Maintenance Record.... 169 Owner Maintenance Checks........ 171
Fluid Locations............................... 172
Engine Oil.......................................173

Adding Oil................................... 173Recommended Oil..................... 173Synthetic Oil............................... 174

Additives..................................... 174
Changing the Oil and Filter...... 175
Cooling System.............................. 177
Adding Engine Coolant............. 177Replacing Engine Coolant........ 179
Windshield Washers..................... 182
Transmission Fluid........................ 183 AutomaticTransmission.......................... 183
5-speed Manual Transmission.......................... 184
Brake and Clutch Fluid................. 185 Brake System............................. 185
Clutch System............................ 186
Power Steering............................... 186
Air Cleaner Element...................... 187 Spark Plugs..................................... 188
Replacement............................... 188
Specifications............................. 190
Battery............................................ 190
Wiper Blades.................................. 193
Air Conditioning System............... 195 Drive Belts...................................... 196
Timing Belt..................................... 196

Tires................................................ 197
Inflation....................................... 197

Inspection................................... 198

Maintenance............................... 199

Tire Rotation.............................. 200 Replacing Tires and Wheels .... 200
Wheels and Tires....................... 201

Winter Driving...........................201
Snow Tires.............................. 202

Tire Chains............................. 202

Lights.............................................. 203

Headlight Aimimg..................... 205

Replacing Bulbs......................... 206

Storing Your Vehicle..................... 217

MaintenanceProCarManuals.comMain Menu s t

Maintenance Safety
Regularly maintaining your vehicle is
the best way to protect your investment. Proper maintenance is
essential to your safety and thesafety of your passengers. It will also
reward you with more economical,
trouble-free driving and help reduce air pollution. This section includes instructions for
simple maintenance tasks, such as
checking and adding oil. Any service
items not detailed in this section should be performed by a Honda
technician or other qualified mechanic. Some of the most important safety
precautions are given here. However,
we cannot warn you of every conceivable hazard that can arise in
performing maintenance. Only you can decide whether or not youshould perform a given task.

Maintenance
Failure to properly follow
maintenance instructions and
precautions can cause you to be seriously hurt or killed.
Always follow the procedures and precautions in this owner'smanual.
Improperly maintaining this
vehicle or failing to correct a problem before driving can
cause a crash in which you can
be seriously hurt or killed.
Always follow the inspection and maintenancerecommendations and
schedules in this owner's
manual.ProCarManuals.comMain Menu Table of Contents s t

Maintenance Schedule

The Maintenance Schedule specifies how often you should have your
vehicle serviced and what things need attention. It is essential that
you have your vehicle serviced as scheduled to retain its high level ofsafety, dependability, and emissions
control performance.
The services and time or distance
intervals shown in the maintenanceschedule assume you will use your
vehicle as normal transportation for passengers and their possessions.
You should also follow these
recommendations:
Avoid exceeding your vehicle's
load limit. This puts excess stresson the engine, brakes, and many
other parts of your vehicle. The
load limit is shown on the label on
the driver's doorjamb.
Operate your vehicle on
reasonable roads within the legalspeed limit.
Drive your vehicle regularly over a
distance of several miles
(kilometers).

Always use unleaded gasoline with the proper octane rating (see page
120). Which Schedule to Follow:
Service your vehicle according to the
time and mileage periods on one of
the Maintenance Schedules on the
following pages. Select the schedule
for "Severe Conditions" if most of
your driving is done under one or more of the conditions listed on that
page. Otherwise, follow the schedule
for "Normal Conditions."

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Maintenance Schedule

Your authorized Honda dealer knows your vehicle best and can
provide competent, efficient service.However, service at a dealer is not
mandatory to keep your warranties
in effect. Maintenance may be done
by any qualified service facility or
person who is skilled in this type of automotive service. Keep all the
receipts as proof of completion, and
have the person who does the work
fill out the Maintenance Record. Check your warranty booklet for
more information. We recommend the use of Genuine
Honda parts and fluids whenever you
have maintenance done. These are
manufactured to the same high-quality standards as the original
components, so you can be confident of their performance and durability.
U.S. Vehicles:
Maintenance, replacement or
repair of emission control devices
and systems may be done by any
automotive repair establishment or individual using parts that are
"certified" to EPA standards. According to state and federal
regulations, failure to performmaintenance on the items marked
with # will not void your emissions
warranties. However, Honda recommends that all maintenanceservices be performed at the
recommended time or mileage
period to ensure long-term reliability.

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Maintenance Schedule for Normal Conditions (listed by distance/time)
Maintenance
page 200).
Service at the indicated distance or time, whichever comes first. Do the\
items in A, B, C as required for each distance/time interval. Follow this
schedule if the severe driving conditions described in the Severe Conditions Schedule on the next page do not apply.
Canadian owners: Follow the schedule for Severe Conditions.
# : See maintenance and emissions warranty information, lastcolumn, page 163.
ProCarManuals.comMain Menu Table of Contents s t

Maintenance Schedule for Severe Conditions (listed by distance/time)

Use this schedule if your vehicle is MAINLY driven in any of the following Severe Conditions, or normally driven in Canada; otherwise use the Normal
Schedule. Service at the indicated distance or time, whichever comes first. Do the items in A, B, C as required for each distance/time.
Severe Conditions:

• Driving less than 5 mi (8 km) per trip or, in freezing temperatures, driving less than 10 mi (16 km) per trip.
• Driving in extremely hot (over 90°F/32°C) conditions.
• Extensive idling or long periods of stop-and-go driving.
• Trailer towing, driving with a roof rack carrier, or driving in mountainous conditions.
• Driving on muddy, dusty, or de-iced roads.

CONTINUED

Maintenance

#: See maintenance and emissions warranty information, last
column, page 163.
page 200).ProCarManuals.comMain Menu Table of Contents s t