Page 145 of 322

Servic
e Statio n Procedure s
Fillin g th e Fue l Tan k
Pul l
1 . Becaus e th e fue l fil l ca p is o n th e
driver' s sid e o f th e vehicle , par k
wit h tha t sid e closes t t o th e
servic e statio n pumps .
2 . Ope n th e fue l fil l doo r b y pullin g
o n th e handl e a t th e outsid e o f th e
driver' s seat .
FUEL FIL L CA P
3
. Remov e th e fue l fil l ca p slowly .
Yo u ma y hea r a hissin g soun d a s
pressur e insid e th e tan k escapes .
4 . Sto p fillin g th e tan k afte r th e fue lnozzle automaticall y click s off . D o
no t tr y t o "to p off " th e tank , leav e
som e roo m fo r th e fue l t o expan d
wit h temperatur e changes .
5 . Scre w th e fue l fil l ca p bac k on ,
tighte n i t unti l i t click s severa l
times . I f yo u d o no t properl y
tighte n th e cap , th e Malfunctio n
Indicato r Lam p ma y com e o n (se e
pag e 26 6 ) .
6 . Pus h th e fue l fil l doo r close d unti l
i t latches .
Before Drivin g
Gasolin
e is highl y flammabl e
an d explosive . Yo u ca n b e
burne d o r seriousl y injure d
whe n handlin g fuel .
Sto p th e engin e an d kee p
heat , sparks , an d flam e away .
Handl e fue l onl y outdoors .
Wip e u p spill s immediately .
Page 146 of 322
Servic
e Statio n Procedure s
Openin g th e Hoo d
1 . Shif t t o Par k o r Neutra l an d se t
th e parkin g brake . Pul l th e hoo d
releas e handl e locate d unde r th e
lowe r lef t corne r o f th e dashboard .
Th e hoo d wil l po p u p slightly .
LATC
H
2 . Standin g in fron t o f th e vehicle ,
pu t you r finger s unde r th e fron t
edg e o f th e hoo d t o th e righ t o f
center. Slide you r han d t o th e lef t
unti l yo u fee l th e hoo d latc h
handle . Pus h thi s handl e u p unti l i t
release s th e hood . Lif t th e hood . 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 213 ).
Befor e Drivin g
HOO
D RELEAS E HANDL E
Page 147 of 322
Servic
e Statio n Procedure s
SUPPOR T RO D
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 fron t o f th e hoo d aroun d th e
center .
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 .
Oil Check
Chec k th e engin e oi l leve l ever y tim e
yo u fil l th e vehicl e wit h fuel . Wai t a
fe w minute s afte r turnin g th e engin e
of f befor e yo u chec k th e oil .
1 . Remov e th e dipstic k (orang e
handle) .
2
. Wip e th e dipstic k wit h a clea n
clot h o r pape r towel .
CONTINUED
Befor e Drivin g
DIPSTIC
K
Page 148 of 322
Servic
e Statio n Procedure s
3 . Inser t i t al l th e wa y bac k in it s tube .
UPPE
R MAR K
4 . Remov e th e dipstic k agai n an d
chec k th e level . I t shoul d b e
betwee n th e uppe r an d lowe r
marks .
I f i t i s nea r o r belo w th e lowe r mark ,
se e Addin g Oi l o n pag e 197 . Engine Coolant Check
Loo k a t th e coolan t leve l i n th e
radiato r reserv e tank . Mak e sur e i t i s
betwee n th e MA X an d MI N lines . I f
i t i s belo w th e MI N line , se e Addin g
Engin e Coolan t o n pag e 20 1 fo r
informatio n o n addin g th e prope r
coolant .
Refe r t o Owne r Maintenanc e
Check s o n pag e 19 5 fo r informatio n
o n checkin g othe r item s i n you r
Honda .
Befor e Drivin g
MA
X
MI N
RESERV
E TAN K
LOWE R MAR K
Page 149 of 322

Fue
l Econom y
Th e conditio n o f you r vehicl e an d
you r drivin g habit s ar e th e tw o mos t
importan t thing s tha t affec t th e fue l
mileag e yo u get .
Vehicl e Conditio n
Alway s maintai n you r vehicl e accord -
in g t o th e maintenanc e schedule .
Thi s wil l kee p it i n to p operating -
condition .
A n importan t par t o f tha t mainte -
nanc e is th e Owne r Maintenanc e
Check s (se e pag e 195 ). Fo r
example , a n underinflate d tir e
cause s mor e "rollin g resistance, "
whic h use s fuel . I t als o wear s ou t
faster , s o chec k th e tir e pressur e a t
leas t monthly .
I n winter , th e build-u p o f sno w o n
you r vehicle' s undersid e add s weigh t
an d rollin g resistance . Frequen t
cleanin g help s you r fue l mileag e an d
reduce s th e chanc e o f corrosion .Drivin
g Habit s
Yo u ca n improv e fue l econom y b y
drivin g moderately . Rapi d acceler -
ation , abrup t cornering , an d har d
brakin g us e mor e fuel .
Alway s driv e in th e highes t gea r tha t
allow s th e engin e t o ru n an d acceler -
at e smoothly .
Dependin g o n traffi c conditions , tr y
t o maintai n a constan t speed . Ever y
tim e yo u slo w dow n an d spee d up ,
you r vehicl e use s extr a fuel . Us e th e
cruis e control , whe n appropriate , t o
increas e fue l economy . A
col d engin e use s mor e fue l tha n a
war m engine . I t i s no t necessar y t o
"warm-up " a col d engin e b y lettin g it
idl e fo r a lon g time . Yo u ca n driv e
awa y in abou t a minute , n o matte r
ho w col d it i s outside . Th e engin e
wil l war m u p faster , an d yo u ge t
bette r fue l economy . T o cu t clow n o n
th e numbe r o f "col d starts, " tr y t o
combin e severa l shor t trip s int o one .
Th e ai r conditionin g put s a n extr a
loa d o n th e engin e whic h make s i t
us e mor e fuel . Tur n of f th e A/ C to
cu t dow n o n ai r conditionin g use .
Us e th e flow-throug h ventilatio n
whe n th e outsid e ai r temperatur e is
moderate .
Before Drivin g
Page 150 of 322

Accessorie
s an d Modification s
Modifyin g you r vehicle , o r installin g
som e non-Hond a accessories , ca n
mak e you r vehicl e unsafe . Befor e
yo u mak e an y modification s o r ad d
an y accessories , b e sur e t o rea d th e
followin g information .
Accessorie s
You r deale r ha s Genuin e Hond a
accessorie s tha t allo w yo u t o
personaliz e you r vehicle . Thes e
accessorie s hav e bee n designe d an d
approve d fo r you r vehicle , an d ar e
covere d b y warranty .
Non-Hond a accessorie s ar e usuall y
designe d fo r universa l applications .
Althoug h aftermarke t accessorie s
ma y fi t o n you r vehicle , the y ma y no t
mee t factor y specifications , an d
coul d adversel y affec t you r vehicle' s
handlin g an d stability . (Se e
"Modifications " o n pag e 14 7 fo r
additiona l information. ) Whe
n properl y installed , cellula r
phones , alarms , two-wa y radios , an d
low-powere d audi o system s shoul d
no t interfer e wit h you r vehicle' s
computer-controlle d systems , suc h
a s th e SR S an d anti-loc k brak e
system .
However , i f electroni c accessorie s
ar e improperl y installed , o r excee d
you r vehicle' s electrica l syste m
capacity , the y ca n interfer e wit h th e operatio
n o f you r vehicle , o r eve n
caus e th e airbag s t o deploy .
Befor e installin g an y accessory : Mak
e sur e th e accessor y doe s no t
obscure any lights , o r interfer e
wit h prope r vehicl e operatio n o r
performance . B
e sur e electroni c accessorie s d o
no t overloa d electrica l circuit s
(se e pag e 26 8 ) . Hav
e th e installe r contac t you r
Hond a deale r fo r assistanc e befor e
installin g an y electroni c accessory .
I f possible , hav e you r deale r inspec t
th e fina l installation .
Befor e Drivin g
Imprope
r accessorie s o r
modification s ca n affec t you r
vehicle' s handling , stabilit y an d
performance , 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 instruction s i n thi s
owner' s manua l regardin g
accessorie s an d modifications .
Page 151 of 322

Accessorie
s an d Modification s
Modification s
D o no t remov e an y origina l
equipmen t o r modif y you r vehicl e i n
an y wa y tha t woul d alte r it s desig n o r
operation . Thi s coul d mak e you r
vehicl e unsaf e an d illega l t o drive .
Fo r example , d o no t mak e an y
modification s tha t woul d chang e th e
rid e heigh t o f you r vehicle , o r instal l
wheel s an d tire s wit h a differen t
overal l diameter .
Suc h modification s ca n adversel y
affec t handling , an d interfer e wit h
th e operatio n o f th e vehicle' s anti -
loc k brake s an d othe r systems . I
n addition , an y modification s tha t
decreas e groun d clearanc e increas e
th e chanc e o f undercarriag e part s
strikin g a curb , spee d bump , o r othe r
raise d object , whic h coul d caus e
you r airbag s t o deploy .
D o no t modif y you r steerin g whee l
o r an y othe r par t o f you r
Supplementa l Restrain t System .
Modification s coul d mak e th e
syste m ineffective . Additiona
l Safet y Precautio n
D o no t attac h o r plac e object s o n th e
airba g covers . An y objec t attache d t o
o r place d o n th e cover s marke d "SR S
AIRBAG, " i n th e cente r o f th e
steerin g whee l an d o n to p o f th e
dashboard , coul d interfer e wit h th e
prope r operatio n o f th e airbags . Or ,
i f th e airbag s inflate , th e object s
coul d b e propelle d insid e th e vehicl e
an d hur t someone .
Befor e Drivin g
Page 152 of 322
Carryin
g Carg o
Your vehicl e ha s severa l convenien t
storag e area s s o yo u ca n sto w carg o
safely .
Th e glov e box , an d th e pocket s i n
th e fron t door s an d seat-backs , ar e
designe d fo r small , lightweigh t items .
Th e carg o are a is intende d fo r larger ,
heavie r items . I n addition , th e bac k
sea t ca n b e folde d dow n t o allo w yo u
t o can y mor e carg o o r longe r items .
However , carryin g to o muc h cargo ,
o r improperl y storin g it , ca n affec t
you r vehicle' s handling , stabilit y an d
operatio n an d mak e it unsafe . Befor e
carryin g an y typ e o f cargo , b e sur e t o
rea d th e followin g pages .
Befor e Drivin g
TAILGAT
E
POCKE T
CARG
O FLOO R POCKE T
DOO R POCKE T
SEA
T UNDER-BO X
CENTE R POCKE T
GLOV
E BO X
CARG O ARE A