1998 HONDA PRELUDE wheel

Controls Near the Steering Wheel

Make sure the rear window is clear
and you have good visibility before
starting to drive.
The defogger and antenna wires on the inside of the rear window can beaccidentally damaged. When
cleaning the glass, always wipe side
to side.
Steering Wheel Adjustment

See page 15 for important safety

information about how to properly

position the steering wheel.
Make any steering wheel adjustment
before you start driving. To adjust the steering wheel upward
or downward.
1. The lever to tilt the steering wheel is under the steering column to
the left. Push this lever all the way
down.

2. Move the steering wheel to the desired position, making sure the
wheel points toward your chest, not toward your face. Make sure
you can see the instrument panel
gauges and the indicator lights. 3. Push the lever up to lock the
steering wheel in that position.
4. Make sure you have securely locked the steering wheel in place
by trying to move it up and down.

Instruments and Controls
Adjusting the steering wheel
position while driving may
cause you to lose control of the
vehicle and be seriously injured in a crash.
Adjust the steering wheel only
when the vehicle is stopped.ProCarManuals.comMain Menu Table of Contents s t

Steering Wheel Controls
Cruise Control
Cruise control allows you to maintain
a set speed above 25 mph (40 km/h)
without keeping your foot on the accelerator pedal. It should be used
for cruising on straight, open
highways. It is not recommended for conditions such as city driving,
winding roads, slippery roads, heavy rain, or bad weather. You should
have full control of the vehicle under
those conditions.
The cruise control, as it operates,
moves the accelerator pedal. You can
damage your vehicle's accelerator
mechanism by resting your foot under
the pedal and blocking the movement.

Using the Cruise Control

1. Push in the Cruise Control Master
Switch to the left of the steering
column. The indicator in the

switch will light.

2. Accelerate to the desired cruising
speed above 25 mph (40 km/h).

CONTINUED

Instruments and Controls
Improper use of the cruise
control can lead to a crash.
Use the cruise control only
when traveling on open highways in good weather.
NOTICE

CRUISE CONTROL MASTER SWITCHProCarManuals.comMain Menu Table of Contents s t

Steering Wheel Controls

3. Press and hold the SET/decel button on the steering wheel until
the CRUISE CONTROL light on
the instrument panel comes on.
This shows the system is now
activated.

The cruise control may not hold the set speed when you are going
up and down hills.
When climing a steep hill, the automatic transmission may
downshift to hold the set speed. Changing the Set Speed
You can increase the set cruising
speed in either of two ways: Press and hold the RESUME/
accel button. The vehicle will
accelerate slowly. When you reach
the desired cruising speed, release
the button. Push on the accelerator pedal. Ac-
celerate to the desired cruising
speed and press the SET/decel

button.
You can decrease the set cruising
speed in either of two ways: Press and hold the SET/decel
button. The vehicle will decelerate. Release the button when you
reach the desired speed.
Tap the brake or clutch pedal lightly with your foot. TheCRUISE CONTROL light on the
instrument panel will go out.
When the vehicle slows to the desired speed, press the SET/
decel button. The vehicle will then
maintain the desired speed.
Instruments and Controls RESUME/

accel

SET/decelProCarManuals.comMain Menu Table of Contents s t

Steering Wheel Controls

Even with the cruise control turned on, you can still use the accelerator

pedal to speed up for passing. After
completing the pass, take your foot

off the accelerator pedal. The vehicle

will return to the set cruising speed.

Resting your foot on the brake or
clutch pedal will cause the cruise

control to cancel.
Cancelling the Cruise Control

You can cancel the cruise control in
any of these ways:
Tap the brake or clutch pedal. Press the SET/decel and RE-
SUME/accel buttons at the same

time.
Press the Cruise Control Master

Switch.

When you tap the brake or clutch pedal, or press the SET and RE-SUME buttons at the same time, the
CRUISE CONTROL light on the
instrument panel will go out and the
vehicle will begin to slow down. You can use the accelerator pedal in the
normal way.
If you use the brake or clutch pedal
to cancel cruise control, the system
remembers the previously-set cruising speed. To return to that speed, accelerate to above 25 mph
(40 km/h) and press the RESUME/
accel button until the CRUISE CON-
TROL light comes on. The vehicle will accelerate to the same cruisingspeed as before.
If you cancel cruise control by
pressing the SET and RESUME
buttons at the same time, the previously-set cruising speed iserased. To use the cruise control,
accelerate to the desired cruisingspeed and press the SET/decel

button.

Pressing the Cruise Control Master
Switch turns the system completelyoff and erases the previous cruising
speed from memory. To use the
system again, refer to Using the

Cruise Control.

Instruments and ControlsProCarManuals.comMain Menu Table of Contents s t

Keys and Locks

LOCK (0) — You can insert or
remove the key only in this position.
To switch from ACCESSORY to LOCK, you must push the key in
slightly as you turn it. If your vehicle
has an automatic transmission, it must also be in Park. The anti-theft
lock will lock the steering column
when you remove the key. If the front wheels are turned, the
anti-theft lock may sometimes make
it difficult to turn the key from
LOCK to ACCESSORY. Firmly turn
the steering wheel to the left or to
the right as you turn the key. ACCESSORY (I) — In this position,
you can operate the audio systemand the accessory power socket.
ON (II) — This is the normal key
position when driving. All features and accessories on the vehicle are
usable. Several of the lights on the
instrument panel come on as a test
when you turn the ignition switch
from ACCESSORY to ON (see page
51).
START (III) — Use this position
only to start the engine. The switch
returns to ON (II) when you let go of
the key.
The engine will not start if the Immobilizer System does not
recognize the key's coding (see page 69).

You will hear a reminder beeper if
you leave the key in the ignition switch in the LOCK (0) or

ACCESSORY (I) position and open the driver's door. Remove the key to
turn off the beeper.

Instruments and Controls

Removing the key from the
ignition switch while driving

locks the steering. This can

cause you to lose control.

Remove the key from the
ignition switch only when

parked.ProCarManuals.comMain Menu Table of Contents s t

Accessories and Modifications

Modifications Do not remove any original
equipment or modify your vehicle in
any way that would alter its design oroperation. This could make your
vehicle unsafe and illegal to drive.
For example, do not make any
modifications that would change the
ride height of your vehicle, or install
wheels and tires with a different overall diameter.
Such modifications can adversely
affect handling, and interfere with
the operation of the vehicle's anti-
lock brakes and other systems. In addition, any modifications that
decrease ground clearance increase
the chance of undercarriage parts striking a curb, speed bump, or other
raised object, which could cause
your airbags to deploy.
Do not modify your steering wheelor any other part of your
Supplemental Restraint System. Modifications could make the
system ineffective. Additional Safety Precaution
Do not attach or place objects on the
airbag covers. Any object attached toor placed on the covers marked "SRS,
in the center of the steering wheel and on top of the dashboard, could
interfere with the proper operation of the airbags. Or, if the airbags
inflate, the objects could be
propelled inside the vehicle and hurt
someone.

Before DrivingProCarManuals.comMain Menu Table of Contents s t

Preparing to Drive

You should do the following checks and adjustments every day before
you drive your vehicle.
1. Make sure all windows, mirrors, and outside lights are clean and
unobstructed. Remove frost, snow, or ice.
2. Check that the hood and trunk are fully closed.
3. Visually check the tires. If a tire looks low, use a gauge to check its
pressure.
4. Check that any items you may be carrying with you inside are stored
properly or fastened down securely. 5. Check the adjustment of the seat
(see page 75).
6. Check the adjustment of the inside and outside mirrors (see
page 83).
7. Check the adjustment of the steering wheel (see page 64).
8. Make sure the doors are securely closed and locked.
9. Fasten your seat belt. Check that your passengers have fastenedtheir seat belts (see page 14). 10. Turn the ignition switch ON (II).
Check the indicator lights in the
instrument panel.
11. Start the engine (see page 133).
12. Check the gauges and indicator lights in the instrument panel (see
page 51).

DrivingProCarManuals.comMain Menu Table of Contents s t

Automatic Transmission

Second (2) — This position locks
the transmission in second gear. It does not downshift to first gear
when you come to a stop. Second
gives you more power when climbing, and increased engine braking when
going down steep hills. Use second
gear when starting out on a slippery surface or in deep snow. It will help
reduce wheelspin. First (1) With the lever in this
position, the transmission locks in
First gear.
If you shift into First position when
the vehicle speed exceeds 31 mph (50 km/h), the transmission shifts
into Second gear first to avoid the
application of the sudden engine
brake. Maximum Allowable Speeds
The speeds in this table are the maximum allowable speeds in each
position. If you exceed these speeds,
the engine speed will enter into the tachometer's red zone. If this occurs,
you will feel the engine cut in and out. This is caused by a limiter in the
engine's computer controls. The
engine will run normally when you
reduce the RPM below the red zone.
Before downshifting, make sure the
vehicle will not exceed the maximum allowable speed in the chart in the
lower gear to avoid engine damage.

DrivingProCarManuals.comMain Menu Table of Contents s t