Traction Control System
TRACTION CONTROLSYSTEM INDICATOR
Driving with TCS requires no special skills or technique. The TCS does
not control your vehicle's whole
braking system and cannot prevent skidding if you enter a corner too
fast. It is still your responsibility to drive at reasonable speeds and to
leave a sufficient margin of safety. When starting out or driving at low
speeds on a loose or slippery roadsurface, you may notice that the
vehicle does not respond to the accelerator in the same way it does
at other times. This is a sign the TCS
is activating. You will see the TCS
indicator light flash.
You should still install winter tires on
your vehicle during the winter. Make sure to use the same size originally
supplied with vehicle. Exercise the
same caution in winter driving as you
would if your vehicle was not equipped with TCS.
Driving with the compact spare tire installed (see page 286) mayactivate the TCS. You should turn off
the system. If the brakes overheat while the TCS
is activating, the TCS indicator will
stop flashing and stay on temporarily.
This indicates that the TCS system has turned off. After the brakes havecooled down (usually about 10
minutes), the TCS will turn back on
and the indicator will turn off.
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Towing a Trailer
Spare Vehicle Tire
When towing a trailer, you should carry a full-size wheel and tire as aspare in case you have a flat. If you
use the compact spare tire that came
with the vehicle, it may adversely affect vehicle handling. See page 317 for information on proper tire
size, and page 293 for information on
how to store a full-size tire. When storing a full-size spare tire in the
trailer, follow the trailer maker's
instructions.
Additional Trailer equipment
Many states and provinces require
special outside mirrors when towing
a trailer. Even if they don't, you should install special mirrors if you
cannot clearly see behind you, or if
the trailer creates a blind spot.
Ask your trailer sales or rental agency if any other items are
recommended or required for your
towing situation. Pre-Tow Checklist
When preparing to tow, and before driving away, be sure to check the
following:
The vehicle has been properlyserviced, and the tires, brakes,
suspension, and cooling system
are in good operating condition.
All weights and loads are within limits (see pages 212 and 213).
The hitch, safety chain, and any other attachments are secure.
All items on and in the trailer are properly secured and cannot shift
while you drive.
The lights and brakes on your vehicle and the trailer are workingproperly. Your vehicle tires and spare are
properly inflated (see page 317),and the trailer tires and spare are
inflated as recommended by the
trailer maker.
You may want to fill the fuel tank with premium fuel. Premium fuelprovides improved performance.
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Timing Belt, Tires
Timing Belt
The timing belt should normally be replaced at the intervals shown in
the maintenance schedule.
Replace the belt at 60,000 miles (U.S.)
or 100,000 km (Canada) if you regu-
larly drive your vehicle in one or more of these conditions: In very high temperatures
(over 110°F,43°C).
In very low temperatures
(under —20°F, —29°C).
Tires
To safely operate your vehicle, yourtires must be the proper type and size, in good condition with adequate
tread, and correctly inflated. The
following pages give more detailed information on how and when to
check air pressure, how to inspect
your tires for damage and wear, and
what to do when your tires need to be replaced.
Inflation
Keeping the tires properly inflated
provides the best combination of
handling, tread life and riding comfort. Underinflated tires wear
unevenly, adversely affect handling and fuel economy, and are more
likely to fail from being overheated. Overinflated tires can make your
vehicle ride more harshly, are more prone to damage from road hazards,
and wear unevenly.
We recommend that you visually check your tires every day. If you
think a tire might be low, check it
immediately with a tire gauge.
CONTINUED
Maintenance
Using tires that are excessively
worn or improperly inflated can cause a crash in which you canbe seriously hurt or killed.
Follow all instructions in this
owner's manual regarding tire inflation and maintenance.ProCarManuals.comMain Menu Table of Contents s t
Tires
When shopping for replacement tires, you may find that some tiresare "directional." This means they
are designed to rotate only in onedirection. If you use directional tires,
they should be rotated only front-to-
back. Replacing Tires and Wheels
The tires that came with your vehicle were selected to match theperformance capabilities of the
vehicle while providing the best combination of handling, ride
comfort, and long life. You should
replace them with radial tires of the same size, load range, speed rating,
and maximum cold tire pressure
rating (as shown on the tire's sidewall). Mixing radial and bias-ply
tires on your vehicle can reduce its
braking ability, traction, and steering
accuracy.
It is best to replace all four tires at
the same time. If that is not possible or necessary, then replace the two
front tires or the two rear tires as a
pair. Replacing just one tire can seriously affect your vehicle's han-
dling.
CONTINUED
Maintenance
Installing improper tires on your
vehicle can affect handling and stability. This can cause a crashin which you can be seriously
hurt or killed.
Always use the size and type of
tires recommended in this owner's manual.ProCarManuals.comMain Menu Table of Contents s t
Tires
The ABS works by comparing the speed of the wheels. When replacing
tires, use the same size originally supplied with the vehicle. Tire size
and construction can affect wheel speed and may cause the system to
work inconsistently.
If you ever need to replace a wheel,make sure the wheel's specifications
match those of the original wheel
that came on your vehicle. Re-
placement wheels are available at
your Honda dealer. Wheels and Tires
Wheel:16 x 6 1/2 JJ
Tire:
P215/65R16 96T
See Tire Information
on page 318 for
additional information about tire and
wheel size designations. See page 319 for information about DOT Tire
Quality Grading.
Winter Driving
Tires that are marked "M + S" or
"All Season" on the sidewall have an
all-weather tread design. They
should be suitable for most winter
driving conditions. Tires without
these markings are designed for optimum traction in dry conditions.
They may not provide adequate performance in winter driving.For the best performance in snowy
or icy conditions, you should install
snow tires or tire chains. They may
be required by local laws under certain conditions.
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Tires
Snow Tires
If you mount snow tires on your
Honda, make sure they are radial
tires of the same size and load range
as the original tires. Mount snow
tires on all four wheels to balance
your vehicle's handling in all weather conditions. Keep in mind the traction
provided by snow tires on dry roads
may not be as high as your vehicle'soriginal equipment tires. You should
drive cautiously even when the roads
are clear. Check with the tire dealer
for maximum speed recommenda-
tions.
Tire Chains
Mount snow chains on your vehicle
when warranted by driving condi- tions or required by local laws. Youshould use only SAE class "S" cable-
type traction devices on your vehicle, mounted on the front wheels. Make
sure they are the correct size for
your tires.
Metal link-type "chains" should not
be used. No matter how tight they seem to be installed, they can come
into contact with the body and suspension, causing serious damage.
When installing chains, follow the manufacturer's instructions andmount them as tightly as you can.
Drive slowly with chains installed. If
you hear the chains contacting the
body or chassis, stop and investigate. Make sure the chains are installed
tightly, and that they are not contacting the brake lines or
suspension. Remove the chains as
soon as you begin driving on cleared
roads.
Traction devices that are the wrong
size or improperly installed can
damage your vehicle's brake lines,
suspension, body, and wheels. Stop
driving if they are hitting any part of the vehicle.
Maintenance
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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.
Do not use the compact spare tire
if you are towing a trailer. 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.
On EX model
Turn off the Traction Control
System (see page 207 ). Driving
with the compact spare tire may activate the TCS.
INDICATOR LOCATION MARK
TREAD WEAR INDICATOR BAR
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.
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Technical Information
The diagrams in this section give you the dimensions and capacities of
your Honda, and the locations of the identification numbers. The expla-
nations of several electronic and
mechanical systems on your Honda
are for the more technically-orientedowner. Identification Numbers................. 314
Specifications................................. 316
Tire Information............................ 318 Tire Size Designation................ 318
Wheel Size Designation............ 318
Tire Speed Ratings.................... 318DOT Tire Quality Grading....... 319 Treadwear.............................. 319
Traction.................................. 319
Temperature.......................... 320 Oxygenated Fuels.......................... 321
Driving in Foreign Countries....... 322
Emissions Controls........................ 323 The Clean Air Act...................... 323Crankcase Emissions Control
System.....................................323
Evaporative Emissions Control System..................................... 323
Exhaust Emissions Controls.... 324 PGM-FI System..................... 324
Ignition Timing Control
System.................................324
Exhaust Gas Recirculation (EGR) System.................... 324
Three Way Catalytic Converter............................ 324
Replacement Parts................ 324
Three Way Catalytic Converter... 325
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