Page 241 of 338
Batter
y
Chec k th e conditio n o f you r car' s
batter y monthly . Yo u shoul d chec k
th e colo r o f th e tes t indicato r window ,
an d fo r corrosio n o n th e terminals .TES
T INDICATO R WINDO W
Chec k th e batter y conditio n b y
lookin g a t th e tes t indicato r windo w
o n th e battery .
Th e labe l o n th e batter y explain s th e
tes t indicator' s colors . TES
T INDICATO R WINDO W
Chec k th e batter y terminal s fo r
corrosio n ( a whit e o r yellowis h
powder) . T o remov e it , cove r th e
terminal s wit h a solutio n o f bakin g
sod a an d water . I t wil l bubbl e u p an d
tur n brown . Whe n thi s stops , was h it
of f wit h plai n water . Dr y of f th e
batter y wit h a clot h o r pape r towel .
Coa t th e terminal s wit h greas e t o
hel p preven t futur e corrosion .
Maintenanc e 4-cylinde
r model s 6-cylinde
r model s
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 243 of 338
Batter
y
On EX and EX-V6 models
I f you r car' s batter y i s disconnecte d
o r goe s dead , th e audi o syste m wil l
disabl e itself . Th e nex t tim e yo u tur n
o n th e radi o yo u wil l se e "Code " i n
th e frequenc y display . Us e th e
Prese t button s t o ente r th e five-digi t
cod e (se e pag e 15 6 ) .
Charging the battery with the cables
connected can seriously damage your
car's electronic controls. Detach the
battery cables before connecting the
battery to a charger.
Maintenanc e
NOTIC
E
Page 244 of 338
Wipe
r Blade s
Chec k th e conditio n o f th e wipe r
blade s a t leas t ever y si x months .
Loo k fo r sign s o f crackin g in th e
rubber , o r area s tha t ar e gettin g
hard . Replac e th e blade s i f yo u fin d
thes e signs , o r the y leav e streak s
an d unwipe d area s whe n used .
To replac e th e blade :
1 . Rais e th e wipe r ar m of f th e
windshield .
Rais e th e driver' s sid e first , the n
th e passenger' s side . 2
. Disconnec t th e blad e assembl y
fro m th e wipe r ar m b y pushin g in
th e loc k tab . Hol d i t i n whil e yo u
pus h th e blad e assembl y towar d
th e bas e o f th e arm .
CONTINUED
Maintenanc e
WIPE
R ARM S
LOCK TA B
Page 245 of 338
Wipe
r Blade s
BLAD E
3 . Remov e th e blad e fro m it s holde r
b y graspin g th e tabbe d en d o f th e
blade . Pul l firml y unti l th e tab s
com e ou t o f th e holder . BLAD
E
4 . Examin e th e ne w wipe r blades . I f
the y hav e n o plasti c o r meta l rein -
forcemen t alon g th e bac k edge ,
remov e th e meta l reinforcemen t
strip s fro m th e ol d wipe r blad e an d
instal l the m in th e slot s alon g th e
edg e o f th e ne w blade . 5
. Slid e th e ne w wipe r blad e int o th e
holde r unti l th e tab s lock .
6 . Slid e th e wipe r blad e assembl y
ont o th e wipe r arm . Mak e sur e it
lock s i n place .
7 . Lowe r th e wipe r ar m dow n agains t
th e windshield .
Lowe r th e passenger' s sid e first ,
the n th e driver' s side .
Maintenanc e
REINFORCEMEN
T
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 247 of 338

Ai
r Conditionin g Filter , Driv e Belt s
Ai r Conditionin g Filte r
Th e ai r conditionin g filte r remove s
polle n an d dus t tha t i s brough t i n
fro m th e outsid e throug h th e heatin g
an d coolin g system/climat e contro l
system .
Thi s filte r shoul d b e replace d ever y
30,00 0 mile s (48,00 0 km ) unde r
norma l conditions . I t shoul d b e
replace d ever y 15,00 0 mile s (24,00 0
km ) i f yo u driv e primaril y i n urba n
area s tha t hav e hig h concentration s
o f soo t i n th e ai r fro m industr y an d
diesel-powere d vehicles . Replac e it
mor e ofte n i f ai r flo w fro m th e
heatin g an d coolin g system/climat e
contro l syste m become s les s tha n
usual . Hav e th e ai r conditionin g filte r
replace d b y you r Hond a dealer . Driv
e Belt s
Chec k th e conditio n o f th e driv e
belt s (tw o o n 4-cylinde r models , on e
o n 6-cylinde r models) . Examin e th e
edge s o f eac h bel t fo r crack s o r
fraying .
POWE
R STEERIN G BEL T
6-cylinde r model s
Chec k th e tensio n o f eac h bel t b y
pushin g o n i t wit h you r thum b
midwa y betwee n th e pulleys .
Maintenanc e POWE
R STEERIN G
BEL T
ALTERNATO
R BEL T
4-cylinde r model s
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