Page 202 of 338

Maintenanc
e Safet y
Importan t Safet y Precaution s
Befor e yo u begi n an y maintenance ,
mak e sur e you r ca r i s parke d o n
leve l groun d an d tha t th e parkin g
brak e is set . Also , b e sur e th e engin e
i s off . Thi s wil l hel p t o eliminat e
severa l potentia l hazards : Carbo
n monoxid e poisonin g
fro m engin e exhaust . B e sur e
ther e is adequat e ventilatio n
wheneve r yo u operat e th e engine . Burn
s fro m ho t parts . Le t th e
engin e an d exhaus t syste m coo l
befor e touchin g an y parts . Injur
y fro m movin g parts . D o
no t ru n th e engin e unles s in -
structe d to d o so . Rea
d th e instruction s befor e yo u
begin , an d mak e sur e yo u hav e th e
tool s an d skill s required .
T o reduc e th e possibilit y o f fir e o r
explosion , b e carefu l whe n workin g
aroun d gasoline or batteries . Us e a
commerciall y availabl e degrease r o r
part s cleaner , no t gasoline , t o clea n
parts . Kee p cigarettes , sparks , an d
flame s awa y fro m th e batter y an d al l
fuel-relate d parts .
Yo u shoul d wea r ey e protectio n an d
protectiv e clothin g whe n workin g
nea r th e batter y o r whe n usin g
compresse d air .
Maintenance
Page 204 of 338

Maintenanc
e Schedul e
You r authorize d Hond a deale r
know s you r ca r bes t an d ca n provid e
competent , efficien t service .
However , servic e a t a deale r i s no t
mandator y t o kee p you r warrantie s
i n effect . Maintenanc e ma y b e don e
b y an y qualifie d servic e facilit y o r
perso n wh o is skille d in thi s typ e o f
automotiv e service . Kee p al l th e
receipt s a s proo f o f completion , an d
hav e th e perso n wh o doe s th e wor k
fil l ou t th e Maintenanc e Record .
Chec k you r warrant y bookle t fo r
mor e information . W
e recommen d th e us e o f Genuin e
Hond a part s an d fluid s wheneve r yo u
hav e maintenanc e done . Thes e ar e
manufacture d to th e sam e high -
qualit y standard s a s th e origina l
components , s o yo u ca n b e confiden t
o f thei r performanc e an d durability .
U.S . Cars :
Maintenance , replacemen t o r
repai r o f emission s contro l
device s an d system s ma y b e don e
b y an y automotiv e repai r
establishmen t o r individua l usin g
part s tha t ar e "certified " t o EP A
standards . Accordin
g to stat e an d federa l
regulations , failur e t o perfor m
maintenanc e o n th e item s marke d
wit h # wil l no t voi d you r emission s
warranties . However , Hond a
recommend s tha t al l maintenanc e
service s b e performe d a t th e
recommende d tim e o r mileag e
perio d t o ensur e long-ter m reliability .
Maintenanc e
Page 207 of 338

Maintenance
U.S. Owner s
Follo w th e Sever e Condition s
Maintenanc e Schedul e i f yo u
driv e you r vehicl e MAINLY
unde r on e o r mor e o f th e
followin g conditions :
Driving les s tha n 5 mile s ( 8
km ) pe r tri p or , i n freezin g
temperatures , drivin g les s
tha n 1 0 mile s (1 6 km ) pe r trip .
Drivin g in extremel y ho t
[ove r 90 ° F (32°C ] conditions .
E xtensive idlin g o r lon g
period s o f stop-and-g o driving .
Trailer towing , drivin g wit h a
roo f to p carrier , o r drivin g in
mountainou s conditions .
Driving o n muddy , dusty , o r
de-ice d roads .
*1 : Balance r bel t applie s t o 4-cylinde r
model s only .
*2 : Refe r t o pag e 24 5 fo r replacemen t
information unde r specia l drivin g
conditions .
*3 : Refe r t o pag e 24 4 fo r replacemen t
information unde r specia l drivin g
conditions .
# : Se e informatio n o n maintenanc e an d
emission s warranty , last column , pag e
201.
Canadia n Owner s
Follow th e Maintenanc e
Schedule fo r Sever e Conditions .
Page 214 of 338
Flui
d Location s
6-cylinde r Model s
Maintenance
ENGIN
E OI L
FIL L CA P
(Blac k cap ) BRAK
E FLUI D
(Gra y cap )
AUTOMATI C
TRANSMISSIO N
FLUI D DIPSTIC K
(Yello w loop )
ENGIN E COOLAN T
RESERVOI R
RADIATO R CA P
POWE
R STEERIN G
FLUI D (Re d cap )
WASHE
R FLUI D
(Blu e cap )
ENGIN
E OI L DIPSTIC K
(Orang e loop )
Page 230 of 338

Transmissio
n Flui d
5-speed Manual Transmissio n
Chec K th e flui d leve l wit h th e
transmissio n a t norma l operatin g
temperatur e an d th e ca r sittin g o n
leve l ground . Remov e th e
transmissio n fille r bol t an d carefull y
fee l insid e th e bol t hol e wit h you r
finger . Th e flui d leve l shoul d b e u p
t o th e edg e o f th e bol t hole . I f i t i s
not , ad d Genuin e Hond a Manua l
Transmissio n Flui d (MTF ) unti l i t
start s t o ru n ou t o f th e hole . Reinstal l
th e fille r bol t an d tighte n i t securely .I
f Hond a MT F is no t available , yo u
ma y us e a n AP I servic e SG , S H o r S J
grad e moto r oi l wit h a viscosit y o f
SA E 10W-3 0 o r 10W-4 0 a s a
temporar y replacement . A n S G
grad e is preferred , bu t a n S H o r S J
grad e ma y b e use d if S G is no t
available . However , moto r oi l doe s
no t contai n th e prope r additive s an d
continue d us e ca n caus e stiffe r
shifting . Replac e a s soo n a s
convenient .
Th e transmissio n shoul d b e draine d
an d refille d wit h ne w flui d accordin g
t o th e tim e an d distanc e recommen -
dation s in th e maintenanc e schedule .
Maintenance
FILLE
R
BOL T Correc
t leve l
Page 242 of 338
Batter
y
I f th e terminal s ar e severel y cor -
roded , clea n the m wit h bakin g sod a
an d water . The n us e a wrenc h t o
loose n an d remov e th e cable s fro m
th e terminals . Alway s disconnec t th e
negativ e (— ) cabl e firs t an d recon -
nec t i t last . Clea n th e batter y termi -
nal s wit h a termina l cleanin g too l o r
wir e brush . Reconnec t an d tighte n
th e cables , the n coa t th e terminal s
wit h grease . I
f yo u nee d t o connec t th e batter y t o
a charger , disconnec t bot h cable s t o
preven t damag e t o th e car' s
electrica l system .
CONTINUED
Maintenanc e
Th
e batter y give s of f explosiv e
hydroge n ga s durin g norma l
operation .
A spar k o r flam e ca n caus e th e
batter y t o explod e wit h enoug h
forc e t o kil l o r seriousl y hur t you .
Wea r protectiv e clothin g an d a
fac e shield , o r hav e a skille d
mechani c d o th e batter y
maintenance .
4-cylinde
r model s
6-cylinder model s
Page 246 of 338

Ai
r Conditionin g Syste m
You r car' s ai r conditionin g is a seale d
system . An y majo r maintenance ,
suc h a s recharging , shoul d b e don e
b y a qualifie d mechanic . Yo u ca n d o
a coupl e o f thing s t o mak e sur e th e
ai r conditionin g work s efficiently .
Periodicall y chec k th e engine' s
radiato r an d ai r conditionin g
condense r fo r leaves , insects , an d
dir t stuc k t o th e fron t surface . Thes e
bloc k th e ai r flo w an d reduc e coolin g
efficiency . Us e a ligh t spra y fro m a
hos e o r a sof t brus h to remov e them .
The condenser and radiator fins bend
easily. Only use a low-pressure spray
or soft-bristle brush to clean them. AI
R CONDITIONIN G
CONDENSE R
Ru n th e ai r conditionin g a t leas t onc e
a wee k durin g th e col d weathe r
months . Ru n it fo r a t leas t te n
minute s whil e yo u ar e drivin g a t a
stead y spee d wit h th e engin e a t
norma l operatin g temperature . Thi s
circulate s th e lubricatin g oi l con -
taine d in th e refrigerant . I
f th e ai r conditionin g doe s no t ge t a s
col d a s before , hav e you r deale r
chec k th e system . Recharg e th e
syste m wit h Refrigeran t HFC-134 a
(R-134a) . (Se e Specification s o n
page s 30 6 an d 308 .)
Whenever you have the air conditioning
system serviced, make sure the service
facility uses a refrigerant recycling
system. This system captures the
refrigerant for reuse. Releasing
refrigerant into the atmosphere can
damage the environment.
Maintenance
NOTIC
E NOTIC
E
Page 248 of 338
Driv
e Belts , Timin g Bel t
Th e belt s shoul d hav e th e followin g
"play " o r deflection .
4-cylinder models
Alternato r belt :0.28 — 0.35 in (7.0 —9.0 mm)
Power steering
belt:
0.51
— 0.63 in (13.0 —16.0 mm)
6-cylinder models
Power steering
belt:
0.51
— 0.65 in (13.0 — 16.5 mm)
If yo u
se e sign s o f wea r o r looseness ,
hav e you r deale r adjus t o r replac e
th e belts .
Timin
g Bel t
Th e timin g bel t an d balance r bel t (4 -
cylinde r model s only ) shoul d
normall y b e replace d a t th e interval s
show n in th e maintenanc e schedule .
Replac e thes e belt s a t 60,00 0 mile s
(U.S. ) o r 100,00 0 k m (Canada ) i f yo u
regularl y driv e you r ca r i n on e o r
mor e o f thes e conditions : I
n ver y hig h temperature s
(ove r 110°F,43°C) .
I
n ver y lo w temperature s
(unde r — 20°F , — 29°C) .
Maintenance