
Startin
g th e Engin e
1 . Appl y th e parkin g brake .
2 . I n col d weather , tur n of f al l
electrica l accessorie s t o  reduc e
th e drai n o n th e battery .
3 . Manual Transmission:
Pus h th e clutc h peda l dow n al l th e
way . STAR T (III ) doe s no t
functio n unles s th e clutc h peda l i s
depressed .
Automatic  Transmission:
Mak e sur e th e shif t leve r i s  i n
Park . Pres s o n th e brak e pedal . 4
. Withou t touchin g th e accelerato r
pedal , tur n th e ignitio n ke y t o  th e
STAR T  (III )  position .  I f th e engin e
doe s no t star t righ t away , d o no t
hol d th e ke y i n  STAR T  (III )  fo r
mor e tha n 1 5 second s a t a  time .
Paus e fo r a t leas t  1 0 second s
befor e tryin g again .
5 .  I f th e engin e  doe s no t star t withi n
1 5  seconds , o r start s bu t stall s
righ t away , repea t ste p 4  wit h th e
accelerato r peda l presse d half-wa y
down . I f th e engin e starts , releas e
pressur e o n th e accelerato r peda l
s o  th e engin e doe s no t race . 6
.  I f th e  engin e stil l  doe s no t start ,
pres s th e  accelerato r  peda l  al l th e
wa y  dow n  an d hol d it ther e whil e
startin g  i n  orde r t o  clea r flooding .
A s before ,  kee p th e ignitio n ke y i n
th e  STAR T  (III )  positio n fo r n o
mor e tha n  1 5 seconds .  Retur n t o
ste p 5   if th e  engin e  doe s  no t start .
I f i t  starts ,  lif t you r foo t  of f th e
accelerato r  peda l  s o  th e  engin e
doe s  no t race .
Driving 

Automati
c Transmissio n
Par k (P )  —  Thi s positio n mechani -
call y lock s th e transmission .  Us e
Par k wheneve r yo u ar e turnin g of f o r
startin g th e engine . T o shif t ou t o f
Park , yo u mus t pres s o n th e brak e
peda l an d hav e you r foo t of f th e
accelerato r pedal . Pres s th e releas e
butto n o n th e sid e o f th e shif t leve r
t o  mov e it .
I f yo u hav e  don e al l o f th e abov e an d
stil l canno t mov e th e leve r ou t o f
Park , se e Shif t Loc k Releas e o n pag e
178 .
Yo u mus t als o pres s th e releas e
butto n t o shif t int o Park . T o avoi d
transmissio n damage , com e to  a
complet e sto p befor e shiftin g int o
Park . Th e shif t leve r mus t b e in  Par k
befor e yo u ca n remov e th e ke y fro m
th e ignitio n switch . Revers
e (R )  —   To shif t t o  Revers e
fro m Park ,  se e th e explanatio n unde r
Park . T o  shif t t o  Revers e fro m
Neutral , com e to  a  complet e sto p an d
the n shift .  Pres s th e releas e butto n
befor e  shiftin g int o  Revers e fro m
Neutral . Neutra
l (N )  —   Us e Neutra l i f yo u
nee d to  restar t a  stalle d engine , o r i f
i t  i s necessar y t o   sto p briefl y wit h
th e engin e idling . Shif t t o  Par k posi -
tio n if yo u nee d to  leav e th e ca r fo r
an y reason . Pres s o n th e brak e peda l
whe n yo u ar e movin g th e shif t leve r
fro m Neutra l t o anothe r gear .
Driv e (D 4) —   Us e thi s positio n fo r
you r norma l driving . Th e transmis -
sio n automaticall y select s a  suitabl e
gea r fo r you r spee d an d acceleration .
Yo u ma y notic e th e transmissio n
shiftin g u p a t highe r speed s whe n
th e engin e is  cold . Thi s help s th e
engin e war m up faster .
Drivin g 

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 

Emergenc
y Towin g
I f you r ca r need s t o b e towed , cal l a
professiona l towin g servic e or , i f yo u
belon g to  one , a n organizatio n tha t
provide s roadsid e assistance . Neve r
to w you r ca r behin d anothe r vehicl e
wit h jus t a  rop e o r chain . I t i s ver y
dangerous .
Ther e ar e thre e popula r method s o f
towin g a  vehicle :
Flat-bed  Equipment  — Th e operato r
load s you r ca r o n th e bac k o f a  truck .
Thi s i s th e bes t wa y t o transpor t
you r  Honda .
Wheel-Lift  Equipment  — Th e to w
truc k use s tw o pivotin g arm s tha t g o
unde r th e tire s  (fron t o r rear )  an d lif t
the m of f th e ground . Th e othe r tw o
tire s remai n o n th e ground . Thi s i s
a n  acceptabl e wa y t o  to w you r
Honda .
 Sling-type
 Equipment  — Th e to w
truc k use s meta l cable s wit h hook s
o n th e ends . Thes e hook s g o aroun d
part s o f th e fram e o r suspensio n an d
th e cable s lif t tha t en d o f th e ca r of f
th e ground . You r car' s suspensio n
an d bod y ca n b e seriousl y damaged .
Thi s metho d o f towin g is
unacceptable .
I f you r  Hond a  canno t b e  transporte d
b y flat-bed ,  i t shoul d b e towe d b y
wheel-lif t  equipmen t wit h  th e  fron t
wheel s of f th e ground .  I f  du e t o
damage , you r  ca r mus t b e towe d
wit h th e fron t wheel s o n th e ground ,
d o th e following :
5-speed  Manual  Transmission
Releas e th e parkin g brake .
Shif t th e transmissio n to  Neutral .
Automatic  Transmission:
Releas e th e parkin g brake .
Star t th e engine .
Shif t t o D 4, the n to  N .
Tur n of f th e engine .
 Improper
  towing  preparation   will
damage  the transmission.  Follow the
above  procedure  exactly. If you  cannot
shift  the transmission  or start  the
engine  (automatic transmission),  your
car  must  be  transported  with  the front
wheels  off the ground.
Wit h th e fron t wheel s o n th e ground ,
i t  i s bes t t o to w th e  ca r n o farthe r
tha n 5 0 mile s  (8 0 km) , an d kee p th e
spee d belo w 3 5 mp h  (5 5 km/h) .
CONTINUED
Takin g  Car e  o f th e  Unexpecte d
NOTIC
E 

Inde
x
Accessorie s an d Modifications....  164
Accessories................................ . 16 4
Additiona l Safet y Precaution... .  16 5
Modifications............................ .  16 5
ACCESSOR Y  (Ignitio n Ke y
Position)...................................... .  72
Accessor y Powe r Socket............. .  102
Addin g
Automati c Transmissio n
Fluid...............................  221,  222
Brak e Fluid................................ . 224
Clutc h Fluid............................... . 22 5
Engine  Coolant.......................... .  21 3
Engin e Oil.................................. . 208
Manua l Transmissio n Fluid.... . 22 3
Powe r Steerin g Fluid................ . 225
Windshiel d Washe r Fluid........ . 220
Additiona l Informatio n Abou t
You r Airbags........................... . 4 6
Additiona l Safet y Precautions... . 4 6
Airba g Service............................. . 4 6
 Additiona
l Informatio n Abou t
You r Fron t Airbags................ . 4 1
Ho w You r Fron t Airbag s
Work......................................... . 4 1
Ho w You r SRS  Indicato r Ligh t
Works .......................................   4 3
SRS  Components........................ . 4 1
Additiona l Informatio n Abou t
You r Sea t Belts....................... . 4 0
Lap/Shoulde r Belts.................... . 4 0
Sea t Bel t Maintenance............... .  4 1
Sea t Bel t Syste m Components.. .  4 0
Additiona l Informatio n Abou t
You r Sid e Airbags................... . 4 4
Ho w Th e  Sid e Airba g Indicato r
Ligh t Works............................ . 4 5
Ho w You r Sid e Airbag s Work... .  4 4
Additives , Engin e Oil.................... . 21 0
Adjustment s
Mirrors. ...................................... . 9 5
Hea d Restraints.......................... . 8 8
Seats............................................. . 8 4
Steerin g Wheel........................... . 65
Airba g (SRS)......................................  9
Ai r Cleane r Element..................... .  22 6
 Ai
r Conditioning............................ .  106
Maintenance.............................. . 238
Usage......................................... .  106
Ai r Conditionin g Filter................. . 239
Ai r Pressure , Tires....................... .  24 1
Alcoho l i n  Gasoline....................... .  30 3
Antifreeze...................................... . 21 3
Anti-loc k Brake s (ABS )
Description................................ .  18 2
Indicato r Light....................  53 , 18 3
Operation................................... . 18 2
Anti-thef t Steerin g Colum n Loc k . . 7 1
Appearanc e Care.......................... . 261
Audi o System........................ . 121 , 133
Automati c Spee d Control............... . 6 6
Automatic  Transmission ................ 174
Capacity , Fluid.......................... . 298
Checking  Flui d Level....... .  221 , 22 2
Shifting ....................................... .  17 4
Shif t Leve r Positio n Indicator. .  17 5
Shif t Leve r Positions................ .  17 5
Shif t Loc k Release.................... .  17 8
CONTINUED