
Break-i
n Period , Gasolin e
Break-i n Perio d
Hel p assur e you r vehicle' s futur e
reliabilit y an d performanc e b y payin g
extr a attentio n t o ho w yo u driv e
durin g th e firs t 60 0 mile s (1,00 0 km) .
Durin g thi s period : Avoi
d full-throttl e start s an d rapi d
acceleration .
Avoi
d har d braking . Ne w brake s
nee d to b e broken-i n b y moderat e
us e fo r th e firs t 20 0 mile s (30 0
km) .
Yo u shoul d follo w thes e sam e re -
commendation s wit h a n overhaule d
o r exchange d engine , o r whe n th e
brake s ar e relined .
Gasolin
e
You r Hond a is designe d to operat e
o n unleade d gasolin e wit h a pum p
octan e numbe r o f 8 6 o r higher . Us e
o f a lowe r octan e gasolin e ca n caus e
a persistent , heav y metalli c rappin g
nois e in th e engin e tha t ca n lea d to
mechanica l damage .
W e recommen d gasoline s containin g
detergen t additive s tha t hel p preven t
fue l syste m an d engin e deposits .
Usin g gasolin e containin g lea d wil l
damag e you r vehicle' s emission s
controls . Thi s contribute s t o ai r
pollution . I
n Canada , som e gasoline s contai n
a n octane-enhancin g additiv e calle d
MMT . I f yo u us e suc h gasolines ,
you r emissio n contro l syste m
performanc e ma y deteriorat e an d
th e Malfunctio n Indicato r Lam p o n
you r instrumen t pane l ma y tur n on .
I f thi s happens , contac t you r
authorize d Hond a deale r fo r service .
Befor e Drivin g

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

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

Brak
e an d Clutc h Flui d
Chec k th e flui d leve l i n th e reser -
voir s monthly . Ther e ar e u p t o tw o
reservoirs , dependin g on the model .
The y are :
Brak e flui d reservoi r (al l models )
Clutc h flui d reservoi r
(manua l transmissio n only )
Th e brak e flui d shoul d b e replace d
accordin g to th e tim e an d distanc e
recommendation s i n th e mainte -
nanc e schedule . Alway
s us e Genuin e Hond a DO T 3
brak e fluid . I f i t i s no t available , yo u
shoul d us e onl y DO T 3 o r DO T 4
fluid , fro m a seale d container , a s a
temporar y replacement . However ,
th e us e o f an y non-Hond a brak e flui d
ca n caus e corrosio n an d decreas e
th e lif e o f th e system . Hav e th e
brak e syste m flushe d an d refille d
wit h Hond a DO T 3 brak e flui d a s
soo n a s possible .
Brak e flui d marke d DO T 5 is no t
compatibl e wit h you r vehicle' s
brakin g syste m an d ca n caus e
extensiv e damage . Brak
e Syste m
Th e flui d leve l shoul d b e betwee n
th e MI N an d MA X mark s o n th e sid e
o f th e reservoir . I f th e leve l i s a t o r
belo w th e MI N mark , you r brak e
syste m need s attention . Hav e th e
brak e syste m inspecte d fo r leak s o r
wor n brak e pads .
Maintenanc e
MA
X
MI N

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

Malfunctio
n Indicato r Lam p
Thi s indicato r come s o n fo r a fe w
second s whe n yo u tur n th e ignitio n
switc h O N (II) . I f i t come s o n a t an y
othe r time , i t indicate s on e o f th e
engine' s emission s contro l system s
ma y hav e a problem . Eve n thoug h
yo u ma y fee l n o differenc e in you r
vehicle' s performance , i t ca n reduc e
you r fue l econom y an d caus e you r
vehicl e t o pu t ou t excessiv e
emissions . Continue d operatio n ma y
caus e seriou s damage .
I
f yo u hav e recentl y refuele d you r
vehicle , th e caus e o f thi s indicato r
comin g o n coul d b e a loos e o r
missin g fue l fil l cap . Chec k th e ca p
an d tighte n it unti l i t click s severa l
times . Replac e th e fue l fil l ca p if i t i s
missing . Tightenin g th e ca p wil l no t
mak e th e indicato r tur n of f
immediately ; i t take s thre e drivin g
trips .
I f th e indicato r remain s o n pas t thre e
drivin g trips , o r th e fue l ca p wa s no t
loos e o r missing , hav e th e vehicl e
checke d b y th e deale r a s soo n a s
possible . Driv e moderatel y unti l th e
deale r ha s inspecte d th e problem .
Avoi d full-throttl e acceleratio n an d
drivin g a t hig h speed .
Yo u shoul d als o hav e th e deale r
inspec t you r vehicl e if thi s indicato r
come s o n repeatedly , eve n thoug h it
ma y tur n of f a s yo u continu e driving .If
you keep driving with the
malfunction indicator lamp on, you can
damage your vehicle's emissions
controls and engine. Those repairs may
not be covered by you r vehicle's
warranties.
Takin g Car e o f th e Unexpecte d
MALFUNCTIO
N INDICATO R LAM P NOTIC
E

Audio Syste m
If yo u tur n th e syste m of f whil e a C D
i s playing , eithe r wit h th e PWR/VO L
kno b o r b y turnin g of f th e ignition ,
th e dis c wil l sta y i n th e drive . Whe n
yo u tur n th e syste m bac k on , th e C D
wil l begi n playin g wher e i t lef t off .
Pres s th e ejec t butto n t o remov e th e
dis c fro m th e drive .
I f yo u ejec t th e disc , bu t d o no t
remov e i t fro m th e slot , th e syste m
wil l automaticall y reloa d th e dis c
afte r 1 5 second s an d pu t th e C D
playe r i n paus e mode . T o begi n
playin g th e disc , pres s th e C D button .Yo
u ca n us e th e SKI P button s whil e
a dis c i s playin g to selec t passage s
an d chang e tracks .
T o mov e rapidl y withi n a track , pres s
an d hol d a n appropriat e SKI P button .
Press th e butto n t o move forward ,
or th e butto n to move backward .
Releas e th e butto n whe n th e syste m
reache s th e poin t yo u want .
Each tim e yo u pres s th e butto n
an d releas e it , th e syste m skip s
forwar d t o th e beginnin g o f th e nex t
track . Pres s an d releas e th e
butto n t o ski p backwar d t o th e
beginnin g o f th e curren t track . Pres s
an d releas e it agai n t o ski p t o th e
beginnin g o f th e previou s track .
REPEA T — To activat e th e Repea t
feature , pres s an d releas e th e Repea t
button. Yo u wil l se e REPEA T in th e
display . Th e syste m continuousl y
replays th e curren t track . Pres s th e
Repea t butto n agai n to tur n it off .
RANDO M PLA Y — Thi s feature ,
when activated , play s th e track s o n
th e C D in rando m order , rathe r tha n
in th e orde r the y ar e recorde d o n th e
CD . T o activat e Rando m Play , pres s
the RD M button . Yo u wil l se e RD M
in th e display . Th e syste m wil l the n
selec t an d pla y track s randomly .
This continue s unti l yo u deactivat e
Rando m Pla y b y pressin g th e RD M
butto n again .
Comfor t an d Convenienc e Feature s
H