Page 68 of 293

Control
s Nea r th e Steerin g Whee l
Steerin g Whee l Adjustmen t
Se e page 18 for important safety
information about how to properly
position the steering wheel.
Mak e an y steerin g whee l adjustmen t
befor e yo u star t driving .
To adjus t th e steerin g whee l upwar d
o r downward :
1 . Pus h th e leve r unde r th e steerin g
colum n al l th e wa y down .
2 . Mov e th e steerin g whee l t o th e
desire d position , makin g sur e th e
whee l point s towar d you r chest ,
no t towar d you r face . Mak e sur e
yo u ca n se e th e instrumen t pane l
gauge s an d th e indicato r lights . 3
. Pus h th e leve r u p t o loc k th e
steerin g whee l i n tha t position .
4 . Mak e sur e yo u hav e securel y
locke d th e steerin g whee l i n plac e
b y tryin g to mov e it u p an d down .
Instrument s an d Control s
Adjustin
g th e steerin g whee l
positio n whil e drivin g ma y
caus e yo u t o los e contro l o f th e
ca r an d b e seriousl y injure d in a
crash .
Adjus t th e steerin g whee l onl y
whe n th e ca r i s stopped .
Page 84 of 293

Foldin
g Rea r Seat , Powe r Window s
D o no t pu t an y heav y item s o n th e
seat-bac k whe n it i s folded .
Mak e sur e al l item s i n th e trunk , o r
item s extendin g throug h th e openin g
int o th e bac k seat , ar e secured .
Loos e item s ca n fl y forwar d an d
caus e injur y i f yo u hav e t o brak e
hard . Se e Carryin g Carg o o n pag e
151 .
Neve r driv e wit h th e seat-bac k
folde d dow n an d th e trun k li d open .
Se e Carbo n Monoxid e Hazard o n
pag e 49 .
On LX and EX models in the U.S., and
EX model in Canada
You r car' s window s ar e electrically -
powered . Tur n th e ignitio n switc h t o
O N (II ) t o rais e o r lowe r an y window .
Eac h doo r ha s a switc h tha t control s
it s window . T o ope n th e window ,
pus h th e switc h dow n an d hol d it .
Releas e th e switc h whe n yo u wan t
th e windo w to stop . Clos e th e
windo w b y pullin g bac k o n th e switc
h an d holdin g it .
Th e driver' s doo r armres t ha s a
maste r powe r windo w contro l panel .
T o ope n an y o f th e passengers ' win -
dows , pus h dow n o n th e appropriat e
switc h an d hol d it dow n unti l th e
windo w reache s th e desire d position .
T o clos e th e window , pul l bac k o n
th e windo w switch . Releas e th e
switc h whe n th e windo w get s t o th e
positio n yo u want .
CONTINUED
Instrument s an d Control s
Powe
r Window s
DRIVER' S WINDO W SWITC H
MAI N SWITC H
Closing a powe r windo w o n
someone' s hand s o r finger s ca n
caus e seriou s injury .
Mak e sur e you r passenger s ar e
awa y fro m th e window s befor e
closin g them .
Page 148 of 293
Servic
e Statio n Procedure s
I f yo u ca n ope n th e hoo d withou t
liftin g th e hoo d latc h handle , o r th e
hoo d latc h handl e move s stiffl y o r
doe s no t sprin g bac k a s before , th e
mechanis m shoul d b e cleane d an d
lubricate d (se e pag e 202 ). SUPPOR
T RO D
CLI P
3 . Pul l th e suppor t ro d ou t o f it s cli p
an d inser t th e en d int o th e hol e o n
th e lef t sid e o f th e hood .
T o clos e th e hood , lif t i t u p slightl y t o
remov e th e suppor t ro d fro m th e
hole . Pu t th e suppor t ro d bac k int o
it s holdin g clip . Lowe r th e hoo d t o
abou t a foo t (3 0 cm ) abov e th e
fender , the n le t i t drop . Afte
r closin g th e hood , mak e sur e it
i s securel y latched .
CONTINUED
Befor e Drivin g
Page 155 of 293

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 all occupants , cargo , an d
accessories .
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 all occupants .
Subtrac
t th e tota l fro m 85 0 lb s
(39 5 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 sudde n 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 i n
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 i n thi s
manual .
Page 159 of 293

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 to 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 7 7 ).
6 . Chec k th e adjustmen t o f th e
insid e an d outsid e mirror s (se e
pag e 8 3 ).
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 1 5 ) .
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 157 ).
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 53 ).
Drivin g
Page 190 of 293

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 . I t i s highl y recommende d
tha t yo u us e Genuin e Hond a Moto r
Oi l i n you r vehicl e fo r a s lon g a s yo u
ow n it .
Yo u ca n determin e a n oil' s SA E
viscosit y an d Servic e Classificatio n
fro m th e AP I Servic e labe l o n th e oi l
container .
A fuel-efficien t oi l i s recommende d
fo r you r Honda . Thi s is show n o n th e
AP I Servic e labe l b y th e word s
"Energ y Conserving. " Thi s oi l i s
formulate d t o hel p you r engin e us e
les s fuel . Th
e AP I Servic e labe l als o tell s yo u
th e servic e classificatio n o f th e oil .
Alway s us e a n oi l tha t i s labele d "AP I
Servic e SJ. " Thi s servic e ratin g ma y
includ e othe r classifications , suc h a s
CD . Thes e additiona l classification s
ar e no t a problem , a s lon g a s th e
labe l als o carrie s th e S J classification .
AP I SERVIC E LABE L
CONTINUED
Maintenanc e
ENGIN
E OI L
FIL L CA P
Page 200 of 293

Transmissio
n Flui d
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 it
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 fille r hol 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 it 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
Automati
c Transmissio n
DIPSTIC K
UPPER
MAR K
LOWE R
MAR K
Page 201 of 293

Transmissio
n Fluid , Brak e an d Clutc h Flui d
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 it 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 i n th e maintenanc e schedule .Brak
e an d Clutc h Flui d
Chec k th e flui d leve l i n th e reser -
voir s monthly . Ther e ar e u p t o tw o
reservoirs , dependin g o n th e model .
The y are :
Brak e flui d reservoi r (al l models ) Clutc
h flui d reservoi r
(manua l transmissio n only )
Th e brak e flui d shoul d b e replace d
accordin g to th e tim e an d distanc e
recommendation s i n th e mainte-
nanc e schedule .
Maintenanc e
5-spee
d Manua l Transmissio n
FILLE R BOL T
Correc t leve l