Page 189 of 322

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 vehicl e is 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 . Burn
s fro m ho t parts . Le t th e
engin e an d exhaus t syste m coo l
befor e touchin g an y parts . Injur
y fro m movin g parts . D o
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 191 of 322

Maintenanc
e Schedul e
You r authorize d Hond a deale r
know s you r vehicl e bes t an d ca n
provid e competent , efficien t service .
However , servic e a t a deale r i s no t
mandator y t o kee p you r warrantie s
i n effect . Maintenanc e ma y b e don e
b y an y qualifie d servic e facilit y o r
perso n wh o is skille d in thi s typ e o f
automotiv e service . Kee p al l th e
receipt s a s proo f o f completion , an d
hav e th e perso n wh o doe s th e wor k
fil l ou t th e Maintenanc e Record .
Chec k you r warrant y bookle t fo r
mor e information . W
e recommen d th e us e o f Genuin e
Hond a part s an d fluid s wheneve r yo u
hav e maintenanc e done . Thes e ar e
manufacture d to th e sam e high -
qualit y standard s a s th e origina l
components , s o yo u ca n b e confiden t
o f thei r performanc e an d durability .
U.S . Vehicles :
Maintenance , replacemen t or
repai r o f emission s contro l
device s an d system s ma y b e don e
b y an y automotiv e repai r
establishmen t o r individua l usin g
part s tha t ar e "certified " t o EP A
standards . Accordin
g to stat e an d federa l
regulations , failur e t o perfor m
maintenanc e o n th e item s marke d
wit h # wil l rio t voi d you r emission s
warranties . However , Hond a
recommend s tha t al l maintenanc e
service s b e performe d a t th e
recommende d tim e o r mileag e
perio d t o ensur e long-ter m reliability .
Maintenanc e
Page 193 of 322
Service at the indicated distance or time, whichever comes first. Do the items in A, B, C as required for each distance/time interval. Follow this
schedule if the severe driving conditions described in the Severe Conditions Schedule on the next page do not apply.
Canadian owners: Follow the schedule for Severe Conditions.
Maintenance
See information on maintenance and emissions warranty, last
column, page 187. See Timing Belt on page 221 to determine need for replacement.
page 224
Page 195 of 322

Us
e thi s schedul e i f you r vehicl e i s MAINL Y drive n i n an y o f th e followin g Sever e Conditions ; otherwis e us e th e Norma l Schedule . Servic e a t th e
indicate d distanc e o r time , whicheve r come s first . D o th e item s i n A , B , C , D as require d fo r eac h distance/time .
Sever e Conditions :
Drivin
g les s tha n 5 mile s ( 8 km) per tri p or , i n freezin g temperatures , drivin g les s tha n 1 0 mile s (1 6 km ) pe r trip .
Drivin g i n extremel y ho t (ove r 90°F/32°C ) conditions .
Extensiv e idlin g o r lon g period s o f stop-and-g o driving .
Traile r towing , drivin g wit h a roo f rack , o r drivin g i n mountainou s conditions .
Drivin g o n muddy , dusty , o r de-ice d roads .
Maintenance
CONTINUED
#
: See informatio n o n maintenanc e an d emission s warranty , las t
column , pag e 18 7 .
* 1
: Se e Timin g Bel t o n pag e 22 1 t o determin e nee d fo r replacement .
* 2
: Se e Ai r Conditionin g Filte r o n page 220 fo r replacemen t
informatio n unde r specia l conditions .
pag
e 22 4
Page 213 of 322

Rea
r Differentia l Flui d
(4WD models only)
FILLER BOL T
Chec k th e flui d leve l wit h th e rea r
differentia l a t norma l operatin g
temperatur e an d th e vehicl e sittin g
o n leve l ground . Remov e th e
differentia l flui d fille r bol t an d
washe r 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 , slowl y ad d
Genuin e Hond a Dua l Pum p Flui d
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 i t securely
.
I f th e Dua l Pum p Flui d i s no t
available , yo u ma y us e Hond a
Premiu m Formul a Automati c
Transmissio n Flui d (ATF ) o r a
qualit y DEXRON ®
II I AT F a s a
temporar y replacement . However ,
continue d us e ca n caus e noise ,
vibratio n an d performanc e problems .
Hav e th e differentia l draine d an d
refille d wit h Genuin e Hond a Dua l
Pum p Flui d a s soo n a s it i s
convenient .
Th e rea r differentia l 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
recommendation s i n th e mainte -
nanc e schedule .
Maintenance
Correc
t
leve l
Page 220 of 322

Batter
y
I f th e terminal s ar e severel y cor -
roded , clea n the m wit h bakin g sod a
an d water . The n us e a wrenc h t o
loose n an d remov e th e cable s fro m
th e terminals . Alway s disconnec t th e
negativ e ( — ) cabl e firs t an d recon -
nec t i t last . Clea n th e batter y termi -
nal s wit h a termina l cleanin g too l o r
wir e brush . Reconnec t an d tighte n
th e cables , the n coa t th e terminal s
wit h grease . I
f yo u nee d t o connec t th e batter y t o
a charger , disconnec t bot h cable s t o
preven t damag e t o th e vehicle' s
electrica l system .
On
EX model
I f you r vehicle' s batter y is
disconnecte d o r goe s dead , th e audi o
syste m wil l disabl e itself . Th e nex t
lim e yo u tur n o n th e radi o yo u wil l
se e " Cod e " in th e frequenc y
display . Us e th e Prese t button s to
ente r th e five-digi t cod e (se e pag e
137 ).
Charging the battery with the cables
connected can seriousl y damage your
vehicle's electronic controls. Detach
the batter y cables before connecting
the batter y to a charger.
Maintenanc e
Th
e batter y give s of f explosiv e
hydroge n ga s durin g norma l
operation .
A spar k o r flam e ca n caus e th e
batter y t o explod e wit h enoug h
forc e t o kil l o r seriousl y hur t you .
Wea r protectiv e clothin g an d a
fac e shield , o r hav e a skille d
mechani c d o th e batter y
maintenance .
NOTIC
E
Page 223 of 322

Ai
r Conditionin g Syste m
You r vehicle' s ai r conditionin g is a
seale d system . An y majo r mainte -
nance , suc h a s recharging , shoul d b e
don e b y a qualifie d mechanic . Yo u
ca n d o a coupl e o f thing s t o mak e
sur e th e ai r conditionin g work s
efficiently .
Periodicall y chec k th e engine' s
radiato r an d ai r conditionin g
condense r fo r leaves , insects , an d
dir t stuc k t o th e fron t surface . Thes e
bloc k th e ai r flo w an d reduc e coolin g
efficiency . Us e a ligh t spra y fro m a
hos e o r a sof t brus h t o remov e them .
The condenser and radiator fins bend
easily. Only use a low-pressure spray
or soft-bristle brush to clean them.
AI
R CONDITIONIN G CONDENSE R
Ru n th e ai r conditionin g a t leas t onc e
a wee k durin g th e col d weathe r
months . Ru n it fo r a t leas t te n
minute s whil e yo u ar e drivin g a t a
stead y spee d wit h th e engin e a t
norma l operatin g temperature . Thi s
circulate s th e lubricatin g oi l con -
taine d in th e refrigerant . I
f th e ai r conditionin g doe s no t ge t a s
col d a s before , hav e you r deale r
chec k th e system . Recharg e th e
syste m wit h Refrigeran t HFC-134 a
(R-134a) . (Se e Specification s o n pag e
279 .)
Whenever you have the air conditioning
syste m serviced, make sure the service
facility uses a refrigerant recycling
system. This system captures the
refrigerant for reuse. Releasing
refrigerant into the atmosphere can
damage the environment.
Maintenance
NOTIC
E
NOTIC E
Page 225 of 322

Timin
g Belt , Tire s
Timin g Bel t
Th e timin g bel t shoul d normall y b e
replace d a t th e interval s show n in
th e maintenanc e schedule .
Replac e th e bel t a t 60,00 0 mile s (U.S. )
o r 100,00 0 k m (Canada ) i f yo u regu -
larl y driv e you r vehicl e in on e o r
mor e o f thes e conditions :
I n ver y hig h temperature s
(ove r 110°F , 43°C) .
I n ver y lo w temperature s
(unde r — 20°F , — 29°C) .
Tire
s
T o safel y operat e you r vehicle , you r
tire s mus t b e th e prope r typ e an d
size , i n goo d conditio n wit h adequat e
tread , an d correctl y inflated . Th e
followin g page s giv e mor e detaile d
informatio n o n ho w an d whe n to
chec k ai r pressure , ho w to inspec t
you r tire s fo r damag e an d wear , an d
wha t t o d o whe n you r tire s nee d t o
b e replaced .
Inflatio
n
Keepin g th e tire s properl y inflate d
provide s th e bes t combinatio n o f
handling , trea d lif e an d ridin g
comfort . Underinflate d tire s wea r
unevenly , adversel y affec t handlin g
an d fue l economy , an d ar e mor e
likel y t o fai l fro m bein g overheated .
Overinflate d tire s ca n mak e you r
vehicl e rid e mor e harshly , ar e mor e
pron e to damag e fro m roa d hazards ,
an d wea r unevenly .
W e recommen d tha t yo u visuall y
chec k you r tire s ever y day . I f yo u
thin k a tir e migh t b e low , chec k i t
immediatel y wit h a tir e gauge .
CONTINUED
Maintenanc e
Usin
g tire s tha t ar e excessivel y
wor n o r improperl y inflate d ca n
caus e a cras h in whic h yo u ca n
b e seriousl y hur t o r killed .
Follo w al l instruction s in thi s
owner' s manua l regardin g tir e
inflatio n an d maintenance .