Page 172 of 293
Th
e Brakin g Syste m
Drivin g
ABS Indicator
Th e AB S is self-checking . I f anythin g
goe s wrong , th e AB S indicato r o n
th e instrumen t pane l come s o n (se e
pag e 55 ), Thi s mean s th e anti-loc k
functio n o f th e brakin g syste m ha s
shu t down . Th e brake s stil l wor k lik e
a conventiona l syste m withou t anti -
lock , providin g norma l stoppin g
ability . Yo u shoul d hav e th e deale r
inspec t you r ca r a s soo n a s possibl e
i f thi s ligh t stay s o n afte r yo u star t
th e engine , o r come s o n whil e
driving .
AB
S
INDICATOR *
*U.S . indicato r show n
Page 178 of 293

Maintenanc
e Safet y
Importan t Safet y Precaution s
Befor e yo u begi n an y maintenance ,
mak e sur e you r ca r i s parke d o n
leve l groun d an d tha t th e parkin g
brak e is set . Also , b e sur e th e engin e
i s off . Thi s wil l hel p t o eliminat e
severa l potentia l hazards :
Carbo n monoxid e poisonin g
fro m engin e exhaust . B e sur e
ther e is adequat e ventilatio n
wheneve r yo u operat e th e engine .
Burns from ho t parts . Le t th e
engin e an d
exhaus
t syste m coo l
befor e touchin g an y parts .
Injury from moving parts. Do
no t ru n
th
e engin e unles s in -
structe d to d o so . Rea
d th e instruction s befor e yo u
begin , an d mak e sur e yo u hav e th e
tool s an d skill s required .
T o reduc e th e possibilit y o f fir e o r
explosion , b e carefu l whe n workin g
aroun d gasolin e o r batteries . Us e a
commerciall y availabl e degrease r o r
part s cleaner , no t gasoline , t o clea n
parts . Kee p cigarettes , sparks , an d
flame s awa y fro m th e batter y an d al l
fuel-relate d parts .
Yo u shoul d wea r ey e protectio n an d
protectiv e clothin g whe n workin g
nea r th e batter y o r whe n usin g
compresse d air .
Maintenance
Page 179 of 293

Maintenanc
e Schedul e
Th e Maintenanc e Schedul e specifie s
ho w ofte n yo u shoul d hav e you r ca r
service d an d wha t thing s nee d
attention . I t i s essentia l tha t yo u hav e
you r ca r service d a s schedule d to
retai n it s hig h leve l o f safety ,
dependability , an d emission s contro l
performance .
Th
e service s an d tim e o r distanc e
interval s show n in th e maintenanc e
schedul e assum e yo u wil l us e you r
ca r a s normal transportatio n fo r
passenger s an d thei r possessions .
Yo u shoul d als o follo w thes e
recommendations :
Avoi d exceedin g you r car' s loa d
limit . Thi s put s exces s stres s o n
th e engine , brakes , an d man y
othe r part s o f you r car . Th e loa d
limi t i s show n o n th e labe l o n th e
driver' s doorjamb .
Operat e you r ca r o n reasonabl e
road s withi n th e lega l spee d limit .
Driv e you r ca r regularl y ove r a
distanc e o f severa l mile s
(kilometers) . Alway
s us e unleade d gasolin e wit h
th e prope r octan e ratin g (se e pag e
142 ). Whic
h Schedul e t o Follow :
Servic e you r ca r accordin g t o th e
tim e an d mileag e period s o n on e o f
th e Maintenanc e Schedule s o n th e
followin g pages . Selec t th e schedul e
fo r "Sever e Conditions " i f mos t o f
you r drivin g is don e unde r on e o r
mor e o f th e condition s liste d o n tha t
page . Otherwise , follo w th e schedul e
fo r "Norma l Conditions. "
Maintenanc e
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 191 of 293

Engin
e Oi l
Th e oi l containe r ma y als o displa y
th e AP I Certificatio n seal . Mak e sur e
i t say s "Fo r Gasolin e Engines. "
AP I CERTIFICATIO N SEA L
Th
e SA E number s tel l yo u th e oil' s
viscosit y o r weight . Selec t th e oi l fo r
you r car accordin g t o thi s chart .
A n oi l wit h a viscosit y o f 5W-3 0 is
preferre d fo r improve d fue l econom y
an d year-roun d protectio n in you r
Honda . Yo u ma y us e a 10W-3 0 oi l i f
th e temperatur e in you r are a neve r
goe s belo w 20°F( — 7°C) .
Syntheti
c Oi l
Yo u ma y us e a syntheti c moto r oi l i f
i t meet s th e sam e requirement s
give n fo r conventiona l moto r oil :
energ y conserving , a servic e
classificatio n o f SJ , an d th e prope r
weigh t a s show n o n th e chart . Whe n
usin g syntheti c oil , yo u mus t follo w
th e oi l an d filte r chang e interval s
give n in th e maintenanc e schedule .
Additive s
You r Hond a doe s no t nee d an y oi l
additives . Purchasin g additive s fo r
th e engin e o r transmissio n wil l no t
increas e you r car' s performanc e o r
longevity . I t onl y increase s th e cos t
o f operatin g you r car .
Maintenanc e Ambien
t Temperatur e
Page 192 of 293

Engin
e Oi l
Changin g th e Oi l an d Filte r
Alway s chang e th e oi l an d filte r
accordin g to th e tim e an d distanc e
(miles/kilometers ) recommenda -
tion s i n th e maintenanc e schedule .
Th e oi l an d filte r collec t contami -
nant s tha t ca n damag e you r engin e if
the y ar e no t remove d regularly .
Changin g th e oi l an d filte r require s
specia l tool s an d acces s fro m
underneat h th e car . Th e ca r shoul d
b e raise d o n a servic e station-typ e
hydrauli c lif t fo r thi s service . Unles s
yo u hav e th e knowledg e an d prope r
equipment , yo u shoul d hav e thi s
maintenanc e don e b y a skille d
mechanic . 1
. Ru n th e engin e unti l i t reache s
norma l operatin g temperature ,
the n shu t i t off .
2 . Ope n th e hoo d an d remov e th e
engin e oi l fil l cap . Remov e th e oi l
drai n bol t an d washe r fro m th e
botto m o f th e engine . Drai n th e oi l
int o a n appropriat e container .3
. Remov e th e oi l filte r an d le t th e
remainin g oi l drain . A specia l
wrenc h (availabl e fro m you r
Hond a dealer ) i s require d t o
remov e th e filter .
4 . Instal l a ne w oi l filte r accordin g to
instruction s tha t com e wit h it .
CONTINUED
Maintenanc e
OI
L DRAI N BOL T WASHER OI
L FILTE R
Page 193 of 293

Engin
e Oi l
5 . Pu t a ne w washe r o n th e drai n bolt ,
the n reinstal l th e drai n bolt .
Tighte n it to :
(U.S. : DX , D X Valu e Package , LX ,
Canada : LX , SE , EX )
3 3 lbf·f t (4 4 N·m , 4. 5 kgf·m )
(U.S. : EX )
2 9 Ibf·f t (3 9 N· m , 4. 0 kgf·m )
6 . Refil l th e engin e wit h th e recom -
mende d oil .
Engin e oi l chang e capacit y
(includin g filter) :
(U.S. : DX , D X Valu e Package , LX ,
Canada : LX , SE , EX )
3.
8 U S q t (3. 6 , 3.2 Im p qt )
(U.S. : EX )
3.
5 U S q t (3. 3 , 2.9 Im p qt )
7
. Replac e th e engin e oi l fil l cap .
Star t th e engine . Th e oi l pressur e
indicato r ligh t shoul d g o ou t withi n
fiv e seconds . I f i t doe s not , tur n of f
th e engin e an d reinspec t you r
work .
8 . Le t th e engin e ru n fo r severa l
minute s an d chec k th e drai n bol t
an d oi l filte r fo r leaks .
9 . Tur n of f th e engine , le t i t si t fo r
severa l minutes , the n chec k th e oi l
level . I f necessary , ad d oi l t o brin g
th e leve l t o th e uppe r mar k o n th e
dipstick .
Improper disposal of engine oil can be
harmful to the environment. If you
change your own oil, please dispose ofthe used oil properly. Put it in a sealed
container and take it to a recycling center. Do not discard it in a trash bin
or dump it on the ground.
Maintenanc e
NOTIC
E
Page 194 of 293

Coolin
g Syste m
I f th e coolan t leve l i n th e reserv e
tan k i s a t o r belo w th e MI N line , ad d
coolan t t o brin g it u p t o th e MA X line .
Inspec t th e coolin g syste m fo r leaks .
Thi s coolan t shoul d alway s b e a
mixtur e o f 5 0 percen t antifreez e an d
5 0 percen t water . Neve r ad d straigh t
antifreez e o r plai n water . Alway
s us e Genuin e Hond a
Antifreeze/Coolant . I f i t i s no t
available , yo u ma y us e anothe r
major-bran d non-silicat e coolan t a s a
temporar y replacement . Mak e sur e i t
i s a high-qualit y coolan t
recommende d fo r aluminu m engines .
However , continue d us e o f an y non -
Hond a coolan t ca n resul t i n
corrosion , causin g th e coolin g
syste m to malfunctio n o r fail . Hav e
th e coolin g syste m flushe d an d
refille d wit h Hond a antifreeze /
coolan t a s soo n a s possible . I
f th e reserv e tan k i s completel y
empty , yo u shoul d als o chec k th e
coolan t leve l i n th e radiator .
1 . Mak e sur e th e engin e an d radiato r
ar e cool .
CONTINUED
Maintenanc e
Addin
g Engin e Coolan t
RESERV E TAN K
Removing th e radiato r ca p
whil e th e engin e is ho t ca n
caus e th e coolan t t o spra y out ,
seriousl y scaldin g you .
Alway s le t th e engin e an d
radiato r coo l dow n befor e
removin g th e radiato r cap .