1998 HONDA PRELUDE tow

Automatic Transmission

Shift Lever Positions
The shift lever has eight positions. It must be in Park or Neutral to start
the engine. When you are stopped inD4, D3, 2, 1, N, R, or the Sequential
SportShift mode, press firmly on the
brake pedal and keep your foot off
the accelerator pedal. To select the Sequential SportShift
mode, slide the shift lever toward the
left from the "D4" position. In this mode the shift lever allows
you to shift up and down manually.
Whenever you move the shift lever,slide it along the guide on the

console.

You cannot shift out of Park with the brake pedal depressed when theignition switch is in LOCK (0) or
ACCESSORY (I).

Driving

SHIFT LEVER

SEQUENTIAL
SPORTSHIFT

MODE

POSITION

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Automatic Transmission

If the vehicle speeds slows to below
the redline of the selected lower gear
position while the indicator is
flashing, the transmission downshifts and the display shows
the selected lower gear.
If the transmission temperature is
below 14°F(— 10°C), you may not be able to use the SequentialSportShift mode. The table shows the speed ranges

for upshifting and downshifting.
Drive (D3) — This position is similar
t

o
D4, except only the first three

gears are selected. Use D3 when
towing a trailer in hilly terrain, or to
provide engine braking when going down a steep hill. D3 can also keep
the transmission from cycling
between third and fourth gears in stop-and-go driving.
For faster acceleration when in D3 or
D4, you can get the transmission toautomatically downshift by pushing
the accelerator pedal to the floor.
The transmission will shift down one or two gears, depending on your

speed.

Driving
CONTINUED
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Parking

Always use the parking brake when
you park your vehicle. The indicator on the instrument panel shows that
the parking brake is not fully
released; it does not indicate that the
parking brake is firmly set. Make sure the parking brake is set firmly
or your vehicle may roll if it is
parked on an incline.
If your vehicle has an automatic
transmission, set the parking brake
before you put the transmission in Park. This keeps the vehicle from
moving and putting pressure on the
parking mechanism in the
transmission — making it easier to move the shift lever out of Park
when you want to drive away. If the vehicle is facing uphill, turn
the front wheels away from the curb. If you have a manual transmission,
put it in first gear.
If the vehicle is facing downhill, turn
the front wheels toward the curb. If
you have a manual transmission, put it in reverse gear.
Make sure the parking brake is fully
released before driving away. Driving with the parking brake
partially set can overheat or damage
the rear brakes. Parking Tips
Make sure the moonroof and the
windows are closed.
Turn off the lights. Place any packages, valuables, etc.,
in the trunk or take them with you.
Lock the doors.
Never park over dry leaves, tall
grass, or other flammable
materials. The three way catalytic
converter gets very hot, and could
cause these materials to catch on

fire.

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Towing a Trailer

Your Honda is designed primarily to carry passengers and their cargo.
You can use it to tow a trailer if you carefully observe some general rules. The total weight of the trailer and
everything loaded in it must not
exceed 1,000 Ibs (450 kg). The "tongue load" should never
exceed 110 Ibs (50 kg). This is the
amount of weight the trailer puts
on the hitch when it is fully-loaded.
As a rule of thumb, the tongue load should be 10 percent of the
total trailer package. For example,
if the trailer and its load weigh 500
Ibs (225 kg), the tongue load should be 50 Ibs (22.5 kg). Adjust
the trailer's cargo to change the
tongue load. Start by putting approximately 60 percent of the
cargo toward the front and 40
percent toward the rear. Never
load the trailer so the back is
heavier than the front. This takes
weight off your vehicle's rear axle and reduces traction.
The combined weight of the
vehicle, all passengers and theirluggage, and tongue load must notexceed the Gross Vehicle Weight
Rating. The GVWR is printed on
the Certification label attached to
the driver's doorjamb (see page
252).
The combined weight of the
vehicle, all passengers and theirluggage, and tongue load also
must not exceed the Gross Axle
Weight Rating. The GAWR is also shown on the Certification label. It
tells you the maximum load for the
front and rear axles. It is possible
that your towing package does not exceed the GVWR but does
exceed the GAWR. Improper
trailer loading, and/or too much
luggage in the trunk can overload
the rear axle. Redistribute the load and check the axle weights again.

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Towing a Trailer
The best way to confirm that your total towing package is within thesespecifications is to get it weighed.
Load the vehicle and trailer as you
normally would while towing, and
take them to a public scale. Have
them check the total weight and the
weight at each axle, then compare the weights to the specifications.
Trailer Hitches

The trailer hitch must be the proper size and construction for your
vehicle and the trailer you intend to tow. Consult with an expert before
you purchase a trailer hitch, andhave it installed by a qualifiedmechanic.
The hitch should bolt to the underbody of the vehicle, anddistribute the load over a wide area.
Never use a hitch that mounts only
to the rear bumper. The bumper is
not designed to handle that type of

load.

A trailer hitch that is not adequate for the size of the trailer, or a hitch that is
improperly installed, can cause damage

to the underside of your vehicle.
Driving

Improperly loading your vehicle
and trailer can seriously affect
its steering and braking

performance, causing a crash
in which you can be seriously
injured.
Check the loading of your
vehicle and trailer carefully before starting to drive.
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Towing a Trailer

Mirrors
Many states and provinces have laws
requiring special outside mirrors
when you are towing a trailer. Check
the laws in your area. You may want
to install mirrors, even if they are not required. Hook up the trailer and see
how much it obscures your ability to see behind you with the standard
mirrors. If you cannot see directly
behind you, or have a large blind spot next to the trailer or the vehicle,
you should install mirrors intended for towing. Connecting the Trailer
Most trailers that have a gross
weight of 1,000 Ibs (450 kg) do not have their own braking system. If
you are thinking of getting a trailer that does have brakes, make surethey are electrically-operated. There
are no provisions in your vehicle to
tap into its hydraulic braking system.
Any attempt to attach the trailer's brakes to your vehicle's hydraulicsystem, no matter how successful it
may seem, will lower braking effectiveness and create a potential

hazard.
Always use a safety chain when
towing a trailer. Connect the safetychain securely at both ends. Makesure the chain crosses under the
tongue so it will catch the trailer if it
becomes unhitched. Leave enough slack in the chain so it can't bind in a
sharp turn. Do not let it drag on the

ground.

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Towing a Trailer

Your vehicle has a trailer lighting connector in the trunk by the left tail-
light. To use the connector, undo the
fastener on the left side of the trunk

lining. Refer to the drawing above

for the wiring color code and pur-
pose 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 vehicle 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 vehicle. Low tire
pressure can seriously affect the
handling. Also check the spare tire. With everything loaded and the
trailer connected, check that therear of the vehicle is not sagging.
If so, redistribute the load in the
vehicle. Check that all lights on the vehicle
and trailer are working properly.

Driving

GROUND

(BLACK)
BACK-UP LIGHT

(GREEN/BLACK)

RIGHT TURN SIGNAL

(GREEN/YELLOW)
LEFT TURN SIGNAL

(GREEN/BLUE)

BRAKE LIGHT

(WHITE/BLACK) TAILLIGHT

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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.

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