
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

Exterio
r Car e
Washin g
Frequen t washin g help s preserv e
you r car' s beauty . Dir t an d gri t ca n
scratc h th e paint , whil e tre e sa p an d
bir d dropping s ca n permanentl y rui n
th e finish .
Was h you r ca r i n a shad y area , no t i n
direc t sunlight . I f th e ca r i s parke d in
th e sun , mov e it int o th e shad e an d
le t th e exterio r coo l dow n befor e yo u
start .
Onl y us e th e solvent s an d cleaner s
recommende d in thi s Owner' s
Manual .
Chemical solvents and strong cleaners
can damage the paint, metal, and
plastic on your car.
Rins
e th e ca r thoroughl y wit h coo l
wate r t o remov e loos e dirt .
Fil l a bucke t wit h coo l water . Mi x
i n a mil d detergent , suc h a s
dishwashin g liqui d o r a produc t
mad e especiall y fo r ca r washing .
Was h th e ca r usin g th e wate r an d
detergen t solutio n an d a soft -
bristl e brush , sponge , o r sof t cloth .
Star t a t th e to p an d wor k you r wa y
down . Rins e frequently .
Chec k th e bod y fo r roa d tar , tre e sap
, etc . Remov e thes e stain s wit h
ta r remove r o r turpentine . Rins e it
of f immediatel y s o it doe s no t
har m th e finish . Remembe r t o re -
wax thes e areas , eve n if th e res t o f
th e ca r doe s no t nee d waxing . Whe
n yo u hav e washe d an d rinse d
th e whol e exterior , dr y it wit h a
chamoi s o r sof t towel . Lettin g it
air-dr y wil l caus e dullin g an d wate r
spots .
A s yo u dr y th e car , inspec t i t fo r
chip s an d scratche s tha t coul d allo w
corrosio n to start . Repai r the m wit h
touch-u p pain t (se e pag e 233 ).
Appearanc e Car e
NOTIC
E

Exterio
r Car e
Waxin g
Alway s was h an d dr y th e whol e ca r
befor e waxin g it . Yo u shoul d wa x
you r car , includin g th e meta l trim ,
wheneve r wate r sit s o n th e surfac e
i n larg e patches . I t shoul d for m int o
bead s o r droplet s afte r waxing .
Yo u shoul d us e a qualit y liqui d o r
past e wax . Appl y i t accordin g t o th e
instruction s o n th e container . I n
general , ther e ar e tw o type s o f
products :
Waxe s — A wa x coat s th e finis h an d
protect s i t fro m damag e b y exposur e
t o sunlight , ai r pollution , etc . Yo u
shoul d us e a wa x o n you r Hond a
whe n it i s new . Polishe
s — Polishe s an d cleaner /
waxe s ca n restor e th e shin e t o pain t
tha t ha s oxidize d an d los t som e o f it s
shine . The y normall y contai n mil d
abrasive s an d solvent s tha t remov e
th e to p laye r o f th e finish . Yo u
shoul d us e a polis h o n you r Hond a if
th e finis h doe s no t hav e it s origina l
shin e afte r usin g a wax .
Cleanin g tar , insects , etc . wit h
remover s als o take s of f th e wax .
Remembe r t o re-wa x thos e areas ,
eve n if th e res t o f th e ca r doe s no t
nee d waxing .
Pain
t Touch-u p
You r deale r ha s touch-u p pain t t o
matc h you r car' s color . Th e colo r
cod e is printe d o n a sticke r o n th e
driver' s doorjamb . Tak e thi s cod e t o
you r deale r s o yo u ar e sur e t o ge t
th e correc t color .
Inspec t you r ca r frequentl y fo r chip s
o r scratche s i n th e paint . Repai r
the m righ t awa y t o preven t corrosio n
o f th e meta l underneath . Us e th e
touch-u p pain t onl y o n smal l chip s
an d scratches . Mor e extensiv e pain t
damag e shoul d b e repaire d b y a
professional .
Appearanc e Car e

Interio
r Car e
Carpetin g
Vacuu m th e carpetin g frequentl y t o
remov e dirt . Ground-i n dir t wil l mak e
th e carpe t wea r ou t faster .
Periodicall y shampo o th e carpe t t o
kee p it lookin g new . Us e on e o f th e
foam-typ e carpe t cleaner s o n th e
market . Follo w th e instruction s tha t
com e wit h th e cleaner , applyin g it
wit h a spong e o r sof t brush . Kee p
th e carpetin g a s dr y a s possibl e b y
no t addin g wate r t o th e foam .
Fabri c
Vacuu m dir t an d dus t ou t o f th e
materia l frequently . Fo r genera l
cleaning , us e a solutio n o f mil d soa p
an d lukewar m water , lettin g it ai r dry .
T o clea n of f stubbor n spots , us e a
commercially-availabl e fabri c cleaner .
Tes t i t o n a hidde n are a o f th e fabri c
first , t o mak e sur e it doe s no t bleac h
o r stai n th e fabric . Follo w th e
instruction s tha t com e wit h th e
cleaner .
Viny
l
Remov e dir t an d dus t wit h a vacuu m
cleaner . Wip e th e viny l wit h a sof t
clot h dampene d in a solutio n o f mil d
soa p an d water . Us e th e sam e
solutio n wit h a soft-bristl e brus h o n
mor e difficul t spots . Yo u ca n als o us e
commercially-availabl e spra y o r
foam-typ e viny l cleaners .
Sea t Belt s
I f you r sea t belt s ge t dirty , yo u ca n
us e a sof t brus h wit h a mixtur e o f
mil d soa p an d war m wate r t o clea n
them . D o no t us e bleach , dye , o r
cleanin g solvents . The y ca n weake n
th e bel t material . Le t th e belt s air -
dr y befor e yo u us e th e car . Dir
t build-u p in th e loop s o f th e sea t
bel t anchor s ca n caus e th e belt s t o
retrac t slowly . Wip e th e inside s o f
th e loop s wit h a clea n clot h
dampene d in mil d soa p an d war m
wate r o r isopropy l alcohol .
Appearanc e Car e
LOO
P

Inde
x
Sno w Tires..................................... . 21 6
Solvent-typ e Cleaners................... . 23 2
Soun d System.................. .
98, 107, 121
Spar e Tir e
Inflating...................................... .
23
8
Specifications............................ . 26 5
Spar k Plugs , Replacing................ . 20 3
Specification s Charts.................... . 26 4
Spee d Control.................................. . 6 6
Speedometer................................... . 5 7
Spotlights......................................... . 8 8
SRS , Additiona l Information.......... . 4 5
Additiona l Safet y Precautions... . 4 8
Ho w th e SR S Indicato r
Works....................................... . 4 7
Ho w You r Airbag s Work........... . 4 5
SR S Components........................ . 4 5
SR S Service.................................. . 4 7
SR S Indicator............................. . 47 , 5 5
STAR T (Ignitio n Ke y Position).... . 7 1
Startin g th e Engine....................... . 15 7
I n Col d Weathe r a t Hig h
Altitude.................................. . 15 7
Wit h a Dea d Batter y ................ . 24 5
Stea m Comin g fro m Engine........ . 24 7
Steerin
g Whee l
Adjustment.................................. . 6 5
Anti-thef t Colum n Lock............. . 7 0
Stere o Soun d System..... .
98, 107, 121
Storin g You r
Car...........................
. 22 9
Supplementa l Restrain t
System.................................. . 9 , 4 5
Servicing...................................... . 4 7
SR S Indicator......................... . 47 , 5 5
Syste m Components................... . 4 5
Syntheti c Oil.................................. . 18 8
Tachometer..................................... . 5 7
Taillights , Changin g
Bulb s in.............................. . 223 , 22 4
Takin g Car e o f th e Unexpecte d .. 23 7
Tap e Player................... .
102, 113, 135
Technica l Description s
DO T
Tir
e Qualit y Grading...... . 26 6
Drivin g in Foreig n Countries.. . 26 9
Emission s Contro l Systems..... . 27 0
Oxygenate d Fuels..................... . 26 8
Thre e Wa y Catalyti c
Converter............................... . 27 2
Temperatur
e Gauge....................... . 5 8
Tethe r Anchorag e Points.............. . 4 0
Thef t Protection............................ . 13 9
Thre e Wa y Catalyti c Converter.. . 27 2
Time , Settin g the.......... .
101, 112, 126
Timin g Belt.................................... .
21
0
Tir e Chains.................................... . 21 7
Tire , Ho w to Chang e a Flat......... . 23 9
Tires................................................ 211
Ai r Pressure.............................. . 21 1
Checkin g Wear......................... . 21 3
Compac t Spare.......................... . 23 8
DO T Tir e Qualit y Grading...... . 26 6
Inflation...................................... . 21 1
Inspection.................................. . 21 3
Maintenance.............................. . 21 3
Replacing................................... . 21 5
Rotating...................................... . 21 4
Snow........................................... . 21 6
Specifications............................ . 26 5
Tir e Chains................................ . 21 7
Technica l Information.................. . 26 1
Tools , Tir e Changing................... . 23 9
Towin g
A Trailer..................................... . 17 1
Emergenc y Wrecker................ . 25 9