Page 239 of 293

Corrosio
n Protection , Bod y Repair s
Inspec t an d clea n ou t th e drai n
hole s i n th e botto m o f th e door s
an d body .
Chec k th e floo r covering s fo r
dampness . Carpetin g an d floo r
mat s ma y remai n dam p fo r a lon g
time , especiall y i n winter . Thi s
dampnes s ca n eventuall y caus e
th e floo r panel s t o corrode .
Us e a high-pressur e spra y t o clea n
th e undersid e o f you r car . Thi s i s
especiall y importan t i n area s tha t
us e roa d sal t i n winter . I t i s als o a
goo d ide a in humi d climate s an d
area s subjec t t o sal t air . Car s
equippe d wit h AB S hav e a senso r
an d wirin g a t eac h wheel . B e
carefu l no t t o damag e them . Hav
e th e corrosion-preventiv e
coating s o n th e undersid e o f you r
ca r inspecte d an d repaire d
periodically . Bod
y Repair s
Bod y repair s ca n affec t you r car' s
resistanc e to corrosion . I f you r ca r
need s repair s afte r a collision , pa y
clos e attentio n to th e part s use d in
th e repai r an d th e qualit y o f th e
work .
Mak e sur e th e repai r facilit y use s
Genuin e Hond a replacemen t bod y
parts . Som e companie s mak e shee t
meta l piece s tha t see m to duplicat e
th e origina l Hond a bod y parts , bu t
ar e actuall y inferio r i n fit , finish , an d
corrosio n resistance . Onc e installed ,
the y d o no t giv e th e sam e high -
qualit y appearance .
Whe
n reportin g you r collisio n t o th e
insuranc e company , tel l the m yo u
wan t Genuin e Hond a part s use d in
th e repair . Althoug h mos t insurer s
recogniz e th e qualit y o f origina l
parts , som e ma y tr y t o specif y tha t
th e repair s b e don e wit h othe r
availabl e parts . Yo u shoul d investi -
gat e thi s befor e an y repair s hav e
begun .
Tak e you r ca r t o you r authorize d
Hond a deale r fo r inspectio n afte r th e
repair s ar e completed . You r deale r
ca n mak e sur e tha t qualit y material s
wer e used , an d tha t corrosion -
preventiv e coating s wer e applie d t o
al l repaire d an d replace d parts .
Appearanc e Car e
Page 241 of 293

Compac
t Spar e Tir e
You r ca r ha s a compac t spar e tir e
tha t take s up les s space . Us e thi s
spar e tir e a s a temporar y replace -
men t only . Ge t you r regula r tir e
repaire d o r replace d an d pu t bac k o n
you r ca r a s soo n a s yo u can .
Chec k th e inflatio n pressur e o f th e
compac t spar e tir e ever y tim e yo u
chec k th e othe r tires . I t shoul d b e
inflate d to :
6 0 ps i (42 0 kP a , 4. 2 kgf/cm 2)
Follo
w thes e precaution s wheneve r
yo u ar e usin g th e compac t spar e tire :
D o no t excee d 5 0 mp h (8 0 km/h )
unde r an y circumstances .
Thi s tir e give s a harshe r rid e an d
les s tractio n o n som e roa d sur -
face s tha n th e regula r tire . Us e
greate r cautio n whil e drivin g o n
thi s tire .
D o no t moun t sno w chain s o n th e
compac t spare .
Th e whee l o f th e compac t spar e tir
e is designe d especiall y to fi t
you r car . D o no t us e you r spar e
tir e o n anothe r vehicl e unles s it i s
th e sam e mak e an d model .
Th
e compac t spar e tir e ha s a shorte r
trea d lif e tha n a regula r tire . Replac e
i t whe n yo u ca n se e th e trea d wea r
indicato r bars . Th e replacemen t
shoul d b e th e sam e siz e an d desig n
tire , mounte d o n th e sam e wheel .
Th e compac t spar e tir e i s no t
designe d t o b e mounte d o n a regula r
wheel , an d th e compac t whee l i s no t
designe d fo r mountin g a regula r tire .
Takin g Car e o f th e Unexpecte d INDICATO
R LOCATIO N MAR K
TREA D WEA R INDICATO R BA R
Page 243 of 293
Changin
g a Fla t Tir e
6 . Tur n th e jack' s en d bracke t
counterclockwis e to loose n it , the n
remov e th e jack . 8
. Locat e th e jackin g poin t neares t
th e tir e yo u nee d t o change . I t i s
pointe d to b y a n arro w molde d int o
th e undersid e o f th e body . Plac e
th e jac k unde r th e jackin g point .
Tur n th e en d bracke t clockwis e
unti l th e to p o f th e jac k contact s
th e jackin g point . Mak e sur e th e
jackin g poin t ta b is restin g in th e
jac k notch .
Takin g Car e o f th e Unexpecte d
JAC
K
WHEEL WRENC H
7 . Loose n th e fou r whee l nut s 1/ 2
tur n wit h th e whee l wrench . JACKIN
G
POIN T
Page 244 of 293
Changin
g a Fla t Tir e
WHEE L WRENC H
EXTENSIO N
9 . Us e th e extensio n an d whee l
wrenc h a s show n t o rais e th e ca r
unti l th e fla t tir e i s of f th e ground .
WHEE
L
NUT S
WHEEL COVE R
10.Remov e th e whee l nut s an d whee l
cover . Th e whee l cove r canno t b e
remove d withou t firs t removin g
th e whee l nuts . D o no t attemp t t o
forcibl y pr y th e whee l cove r of f
wit h a screwdrive r o r othe r tool . Remov
e th e fla t tire . Temporaril y
plac e th e fla t tir e o n th e groun d wit h
th e outsid e surfac e o f th e whee l
facin g up . Yo u coul d scratc h th e
whee l i f yo u pu t i t fac e down .
CONTINUED
Takin g Car e o f th e Unexpecte d
Page 246 of 293

Changin
g a Fla t Tir e
14.Tighte n th e whee l nut s securel y in
th e sam e crisscros s pattern . Hav e
th e whee l nu t torqu e checke d a t
th e neares t automotiv e servic e
facility .
Tighte n th e whee l nut s to :
8 0 lbf·f t (10 8 N·m , 1 1 kgf·m )
WIN
G BOL T
SPACE
R
CON E
15.Plac e th e fla t tir e fac e dow n in th e
spar e tir e well .
16.Remov e th e space r con e fro m th e
win g bolt , tur n it over , an d pu t i t
bac k o n th e bolt .
17.Secur e th e fla t tir e b y screwin g
th e win g bol t bac k int o it s hole . 18.Stor
e th e jac k i n th e trun k wit h th e
en d bracke t o n th e righ t side .
Tur n th e jack' s en d bracke t t o loc k
i t i n place . Stor e th e too l kit .
19.Stor e th e whee l cove r i n th e trunk .
Mak e sur e it doe s no t ge t
scratche d o r damaged .
20 . Lowe r th e trun k floor , the n clos e
th e trun k lid .
Takin g Car e o f th e Unexpecte d
Loos
e item s ca n fl y aroun d th e
interio r i n a cras h an d coul d
seriousl y injur e th e occupants .
Stor e th e wheel , jac k an d tool s
securel y befor e driving .
Page 255 of 293

Brak
e Syste m Indicato r
BRAK E SYSTE M INDICATOR *
"U.S . indicato r show n
Th e Brak e Syste m indicato r ligh t
shoul d normall y com e o n onl y whe n
th e parkin g brak e is no t full y
released .
I f i t come s o n a t an y othe r time , i t
indicate s a proble m wit h th e car' s
brak e system . I n mos t cases , th e
proble m is a lo w flui d leve l i n th e
brak e flui d reservoir . Pres s lightl y o n
th e brak e peda l t o se e if i t feel s
normal . I f i t does , chec k th e brak e
flui d leve l th e nex t tim e yo u sto p a t a servic
e statio n (se e pag e 19 8 ) . I f th e
flui d leve l i s low , tak e th e ca r t o you r
deale r an d hav e th e brak e syste m
inspecte d fo r leak s o r wor n brak e
pads .
However , i f th e brak e peda l doe s no t
fee l normal , yo u shoul d tak e
immediat e action . Becaus e o f th e
brak e system' s dual-circui t design , a
proble m in on e par t o f th e syste m
wil l stil l giv e yo u brakin g a t tw o
wheels . Yo u wil l fee l th e brak e peda l
g o dow n muc h farthe r befor e th e ca r
begin s t o slo w down , an d yo u wil l
hav e t o pres s harde r o n th e pedal .
Th e distanc e neede d t o sto p wil l b e
muc h longer .
Slo w dow n b y shiftin g to a lowe r
gear , an d pul l t o th e sid e o f th e roa d
whe n it i s safe . Becaus e o f th e
longe r distanc e neede d t o stop , i t i s
hazardou s t o driv e th e car . Yo u
shoul d hav e it towed , an d repaire d a s
soo n a s possible . (Se e Emergenc yTowin
g o n pag e 25 9 .)
I f yo u mus t driv e th e ca r a shor t
distanc e in thi s condition , driv e
slowl y an d cautiously .
Takin g Car e o f th e Unexpecte d
Page 262 of 293

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 roadside 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 type s o f
professiona l towin g equipment .
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 is
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 t o Neutral .
Automatic Transmission
Releas e th e parkin g brake .
Star t th e engine .
Shif t t o D4 , the n t o 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) .
I f you r ca r i s equippe d wit h a fron t
spoiler , remov e it befor e towin g s o it
i s no t damaged .
CONTINUED
Takin g Car e o f th e Unexpecte d
NOTIC
E
Page 263 of 293
Emergenc
y Towin g
I f yo u decid e t o to w you r ca r wit h al l
fou r wheel s o n th e groud , mak e sur e
yo u us e a properly-designe d an d
attache d to w bar . Prepar e th e ca r fo r
towin g a s describe d above , an d leav e
th e ignitio n switc h i n Accessor y (I )
s o th e steerin g whee l doe s no t lock .
Mak e sur e th e radi o an d an y item s
plugge d int o th e accessor y powe r
socke t ar e turne d of f s o the y d o no t
ru n dow n th e battery .
The steering wheel system can be
damaged if the steering wheel is locked.
Leave the ignition switch in Accessory (I), and make sure the steering wheel
turns freely before you begin towing.
Trying to lift or tow your car by the
bumpers will cause serious damage.
The bumpers are not designed to
support the car's weight.
Takin g Car e o f th e Unexpecte d
NOTIC
E NOTIC
E