Page 170 of 329

Carryin
g Carg o
Loa d Limi t
Th e maximu m loa d fo r you r ca r i s
85 0 lbs(395 kg) .
Thi s figur e include s th e tota l weigh t
o f al l occupants , cargo , accessories ,
an d th e tongu e weigh t i f yo u ar e
towin g a trailer .
T o figur e ou t ho w muc h carg o yo u
ca n carry :
Ad d u p th e weigh t o f al l occupants .
I f yo u ar e towin g a trailer , ad d th e
tongu e weigh t t o th e numbe r
above .
Subtrac t th e tota l fro m 85 0 Ib s
(395 kg) .
Th e fina l numbe r i s th e tota l weigh t
o f carg o yo u ca n carry .
Carryin
g Item s i n th e Passenge r
Compartmen t
Stor e o r secur e al l item s tha t coul d
b e throw n aroun d an d hur t
someon e durin g a crash .
D o no t pu t an y item s o n to p o f th e
rea r shelf . The y ca n bloc k you r
vie w an d b e throw n aroun d th e ca r
durin g a crash .
B e sur e item s place d o n th e floo r
behin d th e fron t seat s canno t rol l
unde r th e seat s an d interfer e wit h
th e driver' s abilit y t o operat e th e
pedals , o r wit h th e prope r
operatio n o f th e seats .
Kee p th e glov e bo x close d whil e
driving . I f th e li d is open , a
passenge r coul d injur e thei r knee s
durin g a cras h o r sudden stop.
Befor e Drivin g
Overloadin
g o r imprope r
loadin g ca n affec t handlin g an d
stabilit y an d caus e a cras h in
whic h yo u ca n b e hur t o r killed .
Follo w al l loa d limit s an d othe r
loadin g guideline s in thi s
manual .
Page 173 of 329

Preparin
g to Driv e
Yo u shoul d d o th e followin g check s
an d adjustment s ever y da y befor e
yo u driv e you r car .
1 . Mak e sur e al l windows , mirrors ,
an d outsid e light s ar e clea n an d
unobstructed . Remov e frost , snow ,
o r ice .
2 . Chec k tha t th e hoo d an d trun k ar e
full y closed .
3 . Visuall y chec k th e tires . I f a tir e
look s low , us e a gaug e t o chec k it s
pressure .
4 . Chec k tha t an y item s yo u ma y b e
carryin g wit h yo u insid e ar e store d
properl y o r fastene d dow n
securely .
5
. Chec k th e adjustmen t o f th e sea t
(se e pag e 8 4).
6 . Chec k th e adjustmen t o f th e
insid e an d outsid e mirror s (se e
pag e 9 5).
7 . Chec k th e adjustmen t o f th e
steerin g whee l (se e pag e 65 ).
8 . Mak e sur e th e door s ar e securel y
close d an d locked .
9 . Faste n you r sea t belt . Chec k tha t
you r passenger s hav e fastene d
thei r sea t belt s (se e pag e 14 ). 10.Tur
n th e ignitio n switc h O N (II) .
Chec k th e indicato r light s i n th e
instrumen t panel .
11.Star t th e engin e (se e pag e 171 ).
12 . Chec k th e gauge s an d indicato r
light s i n th e instrumen t pane l (se e
pag e 51 ).
Drivin g
Page 183 of 329

Parkin
g
Alway s us e th e parkin g brak e whe n
yo u par k you r car . Th e indicato r o n
th e instrumen t pane l show s tha t th e
parkin g brak e is no t full y released ; i t
doe s no t indicat e tha t th e parkin g
brak e is firml y set . Mak e sur e th e
parkin g brak e is se t firml y o r you r
ca r ma y rol l i f i t i s parke d o n a n
incline .
I f you r ca r ha s a n automati c
transmission , se t th e parkin g brak e
befor e yo u pu t th e transmissio n in
Park . Thi s keep s th e ca r fro m
movin g an d puttin g pressur e o n th e
parkin g mechanis m in th e
transmissio n — makin g it easie r t o
mov e th e shif t leve r ou t o f Par k
whe n yo u wan t t o driv e away . I
f th e ca r i s facin g uphill , tur n th e
fron t wheel s awa y fro m th e curb . I f
yo u hav e a manua l transmission , pu t
i t i n firs t gear .
I f th e ca r i s facin g downhill , tur n th e
fron t wheel s towar d th e curb . I f yo u
hav e a manua l transmission , pu t i t i n
revers e gear .
Mak e sur e th e parkin g brake is full y
release d befor e drivin g away .
Drivin g wit h th e parkin g brak e
partiall y se t ca n overhea t o r damag e
th e rea r brakes . Parkin
g Tip s
Mak e sur e th e moonroo f an d th e
window s ar e closed .
Tur n of f th e lights .
Plac e an y packages , valuables , etc. ,
i n th e trun k o r tak e the m wit h you .
Loc k th e door s wit h th e ke y o r th e
remot e transmitter .
On SE, EX and EX-V6 models
Chec k th e indicato r o n th e driver' s
doo r t o verif y tha t th e securit y
syste m is set .
Neve r par k ove r dr y leaves , tal l
grass , o r othe r flammabl e
materials . Th e thre e wa y catalyti c
converte r get s ver y hot , an d coul d
caus e thes e material s t o catc h o n
fire .
Drivin g
Page 191 of 329

Towin
g a Traile r
Towin g Equipmen t an d
Accessorie s
Towin g ca n requir e a variet y o f
equipment , dependin g o n th e siz e o f
you r trailer , ho w it wil l b e used , an d
ho w muc h loa d yo u ar e towing .
Discus s you r need s wit h you r traile r
sale s o r renta l agency , an d follo w th e
guideline s i n th e res t o f thi s section .
Als o mak e sur e tha t al l equipmen t i s
properl y installe d an d tha t i t meet s
federal , state , province , an d loca l
regulations .
Hitches
An y hitc h use d o n you r vehicl e mus t
b e properl y bolte d t o th e underbody .
Safety Chain
Alway s us e a safet y chain . Mak e
sur e tha t i t i s secure d t o bot h th e
traile r an d hitch , an d tha t i t crosse s
unde r th e tongu e s o it ca n catc h th e
traile r i f i t become s unhitched .
Leav e enoug h slac k t o allo w th e
traile r t o tur n corner s easily , bu t d o
no t le t th e chai n dra g o n th e ground .
Trailer Brakes
Hond a recommend s tha t an y traile r
havin g a tota l weigh t o f 1,00 0 Ib s
(45 0 kg ) o r mor e b e equippe d wit h
it s ow n electri c o r surge-typ e brakes .I
f yo u choos e electri c brakes , b e
sur e the y ar e electronicall y actuated .
D o no t attemp t t o ta p int o you r
vehicle' s hydrauli c system . N o
matte r ho w successfu l i t ma y seem ,
an y attemp t t o attac h traile r brake s
t o you r vehicle' s hydrauli c syste m
wil l lowe r brakin g effectivenes s an d
creat e a potentia l hazard .
Drivin g
Page 193 of 329

Towin
g a Traile r
Additional Trailer equipment
Many state s
an
d province s requir e
specia l outsid e mirror s whe n towin g
a trailer . Eve n if the y don't , yo u
shoul d instal l specia l mirror s if yo u
canno t clearl y se e behin d you , o r i f
th e traile r create s a blin d spot .
As k you r traile r sale s o r renta l
agenc y if an y othe r item s ar e
recommende d o r require d fo r you r
towin g situation .
Pre-To
w Checklis t
Whe n preparin g to tow , an d befor e
drivin g away , b e sur e to chec k th e
following :
Th e vehicl e ha s bee n properly
serviced , an d th e tires , brakes ,
suspension , an d coolin g syste m
ar e in goo d operatin g condition .
Al l weight s an d load s ar e withi n
limit s (se e page s 18 6 an d 187 ).
Th e hitch , safet y chain , an d an y
othe r attachment s ar e secure .
Al l item s o n an d in th e traile r ar e
properl y secure d an d canno t shif t
whil e yo u drive .
Th e light s an d brake s o n you r
vehicl e an d th e traile r ar e workin g
properly . You
r vehicl e tire s an d spar e ar e
properly inflated (se e pag e 24 2 ) ,
an d th e traile r tire s an d spar e ar e
inflate d a s recommende d b y th e
traile r maker .
Drivin g
Page 211 of 329
Engin
e Oi l
Addin g Oi l
T o ad d oil , unscre w an d remov e th e
engin e oi l fil l ca p o n to p o f th e valv e
cover . Pou r i n th e oil , an d instal l th e
engin e oi l fil l cap . Tighte n it securely .
Wai t a fe w minute s an d rechec k th e
oi l level . D o no t fil l abov e th e uppe r
mark ; yo u coul d damag e th e engine . Recommende
d Oi l
Oi l i s a majo r contributo r t o you r
engine' s performanc e an d longevity .
Alway s us e a premium-grad e deter -
gen t oil .
Maintenanc e
ENGIN
E OI L FIL L CA P ENGIN
E OI L FIL L CA P
6-cylinde r model s
4-cylinde r model s
Page 221 of 329

Coolin
g Syste m
5 . Whe n th e coolan t stop s draining ,
tighte n th e drai n plu g a t th e
botto m of th e radiator .
6 . 4-cylinder models
Pu t a ne w washe r o n th e drai n bolt ,
the n reinstal l th e drai n bol t i n th e
engin e block . Tighte n it securely .
Tightenin g torque :
61 lbf.ft (83 N.m,8.5 kgf.m)
6-cylinder models
Tighte n
th
e drai n bol t a t th e rea r
o f th e engin e cylinde r bloc k
securely .
Tightenin g torque :
7 lbf.ft (10 N.
m,1.0 kgf.m)
7 . Mi x
th
e recommende d antifreez e
wit h a n equa l amoun t o f purifie d
o r distille d wate r i n a clea n
container . Th e coolin g syste m
capacit y is :
With
5-speed manual transmission:
1.45 US gal (5.5 ,1.21 Imp gal)
With automatic transmission:
1.43 US gal (5.4 ,1.19 Imp gal)
6-cylinder models
1.48 US gal (5.6 ,1.23 Imp gal)
Maintenanc e
RESERV
E TAN K
RESERV E
TAN
K CA P FILLE
R NEC K
FILLER NEC K
6-cylinde r model s
Fill u p to her e
4-cylinde
r model sFill u p t o her e
HOLDE R
6-cylinde r model s
Page 224 of 329

Transmissio
n Flui d
Automati c Transmissio n
4-cylinder models
Chec k th e flui d leve l wit h th e engin e
a t norma l operatin g temperature .
1 . Par k th e ca r o n leve l ground . Shu t
of f th e engine .
2 . Remov e th e dipstic k (yello w loop )
fro m th e transmissio n an d wip e i t
wit h a clea n cloth . 3
. Inser t th e dipstic k al l th e wa y int o
th e transmissio n securel y a s
show n in th e illustration .
4 . Remov e th e dipstic k an d chec k
th e flui d level . I t shoul d b e
betwee n th e uppe r an d lowe r
marks . 5
. I f th e leve l i s belo w th e lowe r
mark , ad d flui d int o th e tub e t o
brin g it t o th e uppe r mark . Alway s
us e Hond a Premiu m Formul a
Automati c Transmissio n Flui d
(ATF) . I f i t i s no t available , yo u
ma y us e a DEXRON ®
II I
automati c transmissio n flui d a s a
temporar y replacement . However ,
continue d us e ca n affec t shif t
quality . Hav e th e transmissio n
draine d an d refille d wit h Hond a
AT F a s soo n a s i t i s convenient .
6 . Inser t th e dipstic k al l th e wa y bac k
int o th e transmissio n securel y a s
show n in th e illustration .
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 i n th e maintenanc e schedule .
Maintenanc e
DIPSTIC
K
UPPE
R MAR K
LOWE R MAR K