
Importan
t Safet y Precaution s
You'l l fin d man y safet y
recommendation s throughou t thi s
section , an d throughou t thi s manual .
Th e recommendation s o n thi s pag e
ar e th e one s w e conside r t o b e th e
mos t important .
Alway s Wea r You r  Sea t  Bel t
A  sea t bel t i s you r bes t protectio n in
al l type s o f collisions . Airbag s
supplemen t sea t belts , bu t airbag s
ar e designe d to  inflat e onl y in  a
moderat e to  sever e fronta l collision .
S o eve n thoug h you r ca r i s  equippe d
wit h airbags , mak e sur e yo u an d
you r passenger s alway s wea r you r
sea t belts , an d wea r the m properly .
(Se e pag e 14 .)
Restrai n Al l  Childre n
Childre n ar e safes t whe n the y ar e
properl y restraine d in  th e bac k seat ,
no t th e fron t seat . A  chil d wh o is to o
smal l fo r a  sea t bel t mus t b e properl y
restraine d in  a  chil d safet y seat .  (Se e
pag e 19 .) B
e Awar e  o f Airba g Hazard s
Whil e airbag s ca n  sav e lives , the y
ca n caus e seriou s o r fata l injurie s t o
occupant s wh o si t to o  clos e t o them ,
o r ar e no t properl y restrained .
Infants , youn g children , an d shor t
adult s ar e a t th e greates t risk . B e
sur e t o follo w al l instruction s  an d
warning s i n  thi s manual .  (Se e pag e
7 .)
Don' t Drin k an d Driv e
Alcoho l an d drivin g don' t mix .  Eve n
on e  drin k  ca n reduc e you r abilit y t o
respon d t o changin g conditions ,  an d
you r reactio n tim e get s wors e wit h
ever y additiona l drink . S o don' t drin k
an d drive ,  an d don' t le t you r friend s
drin k an d drive ,  either . Contro
l You r Spee d
Excessiv e  spee d is a  majo r facto r i n
cras h injurie s an d deaths .  Generally ,
th e highe r th e  spee d th e greate r th e
risk ,  bu t seriou s accident s ca n als o
occu r a t lowe r speeds .  Neve r driv e
faste r tha n is saf e fo r curren t
conditions , regardles s o f th e
maximu m spee d posted .
Kee p You r Ca r i n Saf e Conditio n
Havin g a  tir e blowou t o r a
mechanica l failur e ca n b e extremel y
hazardous . T o reduc e th e possibilit y
o f suc h problems , chec k you r tir e
pressure s an d conditio n frequently ,
an d perfor m al l regularl y schedule d
maintenance .  (Se e pag e 198 .)
Drive r an d Passenge r Safet y 

Heatin
g an d Coolin g
Ho w to  Us e th e Syste m
Thi s sectio n cover s ho w to  se t u p th e
syste m control s fo r ventilation ,
heating , cooling , dehumidifying , an d
defrosting .
Th e engin e mus t b e runnin g fo r th e
heate r an d ai r conditionin g to
generat e ho t an d col d air . Th e heate r
use s engin e coolan t t o  war m th e air .
I f th e engin e is cold , i t wil l b e severa l
minute s befor e yo u fee l war m ai r
comin g fro m th e system .
Th e ai r conditionin g doe s no t rel y o n
engin e temperature .
I t i s  bes t t o  leav e th e syste m in  Fres h
Ai r mod e unde r almos t al l conditions .
Keepin g th e syste m in  Recirculatio n
mode , particularl y wit h th e A/ C off ,
ca n caus e th e window s t o  fo g up .
Switc h to  Recirculatio n mod e whe n
yo u ar e drivin g throug h smok y o r
dust y conditions , the n switc h bac k t o
Fres h Ai r mod e whe n th e conditio n
clears .
 Th
e outsid e ai r intake s fo r th e
heatin g an d coolin g syste m ar e a t
th e bas e o f th e windshield . Kee p
thes e clea r o f leave s an d othe r
debris .
 Ventilation
Th e flow-throug h ventilatio n syste m
draw s i n  outsid e air , circulate s i t
throug h th e interior , the n exhaust s it
throug h vent s nea r th e rea r window .
1 . Tur n th e temperatur e contro l dia l
al l th e wa y t o  th e left .
Mak e sur e th e A/ C is off .
 2
. Selec t
  an d Fres h Ai r mode .
3 . Se t th e fa n to  th e desire d speed .
Comfor t an d Convenienc e Feature s
FA
N  CONTRO L DIA L
 MODE BUTTON S
 TEMPERATUR E
CONTRO L  DIA L
AI R CONDITIONIN G BUTTO N
RECIRCULATIO N BUTTO N
CONTINUED 

Heatin
g an d Coolin g
To  Heat
T o war m th e interior :
1 . Star t th e engine . 2
. Selec t  an d Fres h Ai r mode .
3 . Se t th e fa n to  th e desire d speed .
4 . Adjus t th e warmt h o f th e ai r wit h
th e temperatur e contro l dial .
 To
 Heat  and Dehumidify  with Air
Conditioning
Ai r conditioning , a s it cools , remove s
moistur e fro m th e air . Whe n use d in
combinatio n wit h th e heater , i t
make s th e interio r war m an d dry .
1 . Switc h th e fa n on .
2 . Tur n o n th e ai r conditioning .
 3
. Selec t
  an d Fres h Ai r mode .
4 . Adjus t th e temperatur e contro l
dia l s o th e mixtur e o f heate d an d
coole d ai r feel s comfortable .
Thi s settin g is  suitabl e fo r al l drivin g
condition s wheneve r th e outsid e
temperatur e is  abov e 32 ° F  (0°C) .
 To
 Defog  and Defrost
T o remov e fo g fro m th e insid e o f th e
windows :
1 . Switc h th e fa n on .
 2
. Selec t
 Whe
n yo u selec t  th e
syste m automaticall y switche s to
Fres h Ai r mod e an d turn s o n th e
A/C .
3 . Adjus t th e temperatur e contro l
dia l s o th e ai r flo w fro m th e
defroste r vent s feel s warm .
4 . Tur n o n th e rea r windo w defogge r
t o  hel p clea r th e rea r window .
Whe n yo u switc h t o anothe r mod e fro
m  th e A/ C stay s on .
Pres s th e A/ C butto n t o tur n i t off .
CONTINUED
Comfor t  an d  Convenienc e  Feature s 

Climat
e Contro l Syste m
Fully-automati c  Operatio n
T o pu t th e Automati c  Climat e
Contro l i n  fully-automati c mode ,
pres s th e AUT O butto n an d  se t th e
fa n contro l dia l t o  AUTO , the n se t
th e desire d temperatur e b y turnin g
th e temperatur e contro l dial . Yo u wil l
se e FUL L AUT O  in th e  system' s
display . Th e ligh t abov e th e butto
n als o  show s yo u whic h
mode , Recirculatio n o r Fres h Air , i s
selected .
Th e  syste m automaticall y select s th e
prope r mi x o f conditione d and/o r
heate d ai r tha t will , a s quickl y a s
possible , rais e o r lowe r th e interio r
temperatur e fro m it s curren t leve l t o
th e  se t temperature .
Whe n yo u  se t th e temperatur e t o it s
lowe r limi t  (60°F/18°C )  o r it s uppe r
limi t  (90°F/32°C) , th e  syste m run s
a t ful l coolin g o r heatin g only . I t doe s
no t regulat e th e interio r temperature .
Whe n th e temperatur e is se t betwee
n th e lowe r an d uppe r limits ,
th e syste m regulate s th e interio r
temperatur e to  th e se t value .
I n  col d weather , th e fa n wil l no t
com e o n automaticall y unti l th e ca r
ha s bee n drive n fo r a  shor t tim e an d
th e heate r start s t o  develo p war m air . Pressin
g th e OF F butto n shut s th e
climat e contro l syste m completel y
off .  Kee p th e  syste m completel y of f
onl y fo r shor t periods . T o kee p  stal e
ai r an d mustines s fro m collecting ,
yo u shoul d hav e th e fa n runnin g a t
al l times .
Comfor t  an d  Convenienc e  Feature s
TEMPERATUR
E
CONTRO L  DIA L FUL
L AUT O
DISPLA Y
 FA
N CONTRO L DIA L
OF F BUTTO N
AUT O  BUTTO N 

Climat
e Contro l Syste m
Semi-automati c Operatio n
Yo u ca n manuall y selec t variou s
function s o f th e  Climat e Contro l
syste m whe n it i s  i n  FUL L AUTO .
Al l othe r feature s remai n auto -
maticall y controlled . Makin g an y
manua l selectio n cause s th e wor d
FUL L to  g o out .
Air  Conditioning  (A/C) Button
Pres s th e A/ C butto n to  tur n th e ai r
conditionin g o n an d off . Yo u wil l se e
A/ C O N o r A/ C OF F in  th e display .
Whe n yo u tur n th e A/ C off , th e sys -
te m canno t regulat e th e insid e tem -
peratur e if yo u se t th e dia l belo w th e
outsid e temperature . Wit h th e A/ C
on , us e th e temperatur e contro l dia l
t o  adjus t th e temperatur e o f th e ai r
flo w to  a  comfortabl e setting .
Comfor t an d Convenienc e Feature s AI
R CONDITIONIN G  BUTTO N
TEMPERATUR E
CONTRO L  DIA L
RECIRCULATIO N BUTTO N 

Audi
o Syste m
Radi o Frequencie s
You r Honda' s radi o ca n receiv e th e
complet e A M  an d F M bands .
Thos e band s cove r thes e frequen -
cies :
A M  band :
53 0 to   1,71 0 kilohert z
F M  band :
87. 7 to   107. 9 megahert z
Radi o station s o n th e A M ban d ar e
assigne d frequencie s a t leas t te n
kilohert z apar t (530 , 540 , 550) .
Station s o n th e F M ban d ar e
assigne d frequencie s a t leas t 0. 2
megahert z apar t (87.9 , 88.1 , 88.3) .
Station s mus t us e thes e exac t
frequencies . I t i s fairl y commo n fo r
station s t o round-of f th e frequenc y i n
thei r advertising , s o you r radi o coul d
displa y a  frequenc y o f  100. 9 eve n
thoug h th e announce r ma y identif y
th e statio n a s "FM101. " Radi
o Receptio n
Ho w wel l you r Honda' s  radi o
receive s  station s i s  dependen t o n
man y factors , suc h a s th e  distanc e
fro m th e  station' s transmitter ,
nearb y large  objects ,  an d atmos -
pheri c  conditions .
A  radi o  station' s  signa l get s weake r
a s yo u ge t farthe r awa y fro m its
transmitter .  I f yo u ar e listenin g t o a n
A M   station , yo u wil l notic e th e  soun d
volum e becomin g weaker ,  an d th e
statio n driftin g in  an d out . I f yo u ar e
listenin g t o a n F M station , yo u wil l
se e th e  stere o indicato r  flickerin g  of f
an d o n a s th e signa l weakens .
Eventually , th e  stere o  indicato r wil l
g o of f an d th e  soun d wil l fad e
completel y a s yo u ge t ou t o f rang e o f
th e  station' s signal . Drivin
g ver y nea r th e transmitte r o f
a  statio n tha t i s  broadcastin g o n a
frequenc y clos e t o th e frequenc y o f
th e statio n yo u ar e listenin g to  ca n
als o affec t you r radio' s reception .
Yo u  ma y temporaril y hea r bot h
stations , o r hea r onl y th e statio n yo u
ar e clos e to .
CONTINUED
Comfor t  an d  Convenienc e  Feature s 

#
  :   Se e  informatio n  o n  maintenanc e an d emission s warranty ,  las t
column , pag e 197 .*  1 : See Timing Belt on page  240  to determine need for replacement.
*  2 : Balancer belt applies to 4-cylinder models only.
*  3 :  See Air Conditioning Filter on page  239  for replacementinformatio n  unde r  specia l  conditions .
Maintenanc e 

Ai
r Conditionin g Syste m
Optional  for U.S. DX model
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.
 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 i n 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  pag e
298 .)
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.
Maintenanc e AI
R CONDITIONIN G CONDENSE R
NOTICE
NOTIC E