Page 182 of 267
I
n Cas e o f Emergenc y
This section covers the most
common problems that motorists
experience with their vehicles. It
gives you information on how tosafely evaluate those problems,
with tips to help get you going
again. Lastly, it tells you how to
have your vehicle towed. Jump Starting ............ 180
Changing a Tire .......... 182 Lifting Points .......... 183
Tool Locations ........... 184
Engine Overheating ....... 186
Towing ................ 187 Precautions ........... 187
Towing Tips ........... 188
All Four Wheelson the Ground ...... 188
Front Wheels off the Ground ...... 188
Rear Wheels off the Ground ...... 189
Inoperative Electrical Devices. ............... 189
In Cas e o f Emergenc y
Page 184 of 267

If a battery sits in extreme cold,
the electrolyte inside can freeze.
Attempting to jump start a frozen battery can cause it to rupture.
4. Jumper Cable Connection Instructions:and Connect the first
jumper cable from the
positive "+" (red) terminal
on one battery to the
positive "+" (red) terminal
on the other battery. Never
connect"+" (red) to "— "
(black) or "— " to "+." Next, connect one end
of the second cable to the
grounded negative "— "
(black) terminal of the good
(charged) battery. Lastly, connect the other
end of the second, grounded
jumper cable to a solid,
stationary, metallic point on
the engine of the vehicle
with the discharged battery but at a point at least 18
inches (45 cm) away from
the battery. Do not connect it to pulleys, fans, or other
parts that move. Beware of touching hot manifolds that
can cause burns. (Themounting brackets for the
alternator or air
conditioning compressor generally make a good
point for this final ground attachment point. Take care
that the jumper cable does
not contact moving parts on
or near the alternator or
compressor.)
5. Start the engine on the vehicle with the good (charged) battery
and run the engine at moderate
speed.
I n Cas e o f Emergenc y
NOTIC
E
Do no t allo w th e
vehicle s to touch .
Mak
e las t connectio n
o n engin e awa y fro m
th e battery . Mak
e connection s
i n numerica l order .
DISCHARGE D
VEHICL E
CHARGED
VEHICL E
1st CABL E
2n d
CABL E
Page 185 of 267

6. Start the engine of the vehicle
that has the discharged battery.
7. Remove the battery cables by reversing the above sequence
exactly. Start by removing thelast clamp first; that is,
remove the jumper cable from
the engine of the vehicle with
the discharged battery as the first step. Changin
g a Tir e
If you have a flat tire while driving, stop in a safe place to
change it. Stopping in traffic or on
the shoulder of a busy road is
dangerous. Drive slowly along the shoulder until you get to an exit or
an area to stop that is far away
from the traffic lanes. 1. Park on a level surface and set
the parking brake firmly. Turn
on the hazard warning flasher, and turn the ignition switch to
LOCK.
2. Set the automatic transmission in "Park" (the manual
transmission in "Reverse")
and transfer case in gear if it is a four-wheel drive vehicle.
3. Have your passengers get out
of th
e vehicle.
4. Remove the jacking tools (see page 184) and spare tire from
their stowage areas.
I n Cas e o f Emergenc y
The vehicle can easily roll off
the jack, seriously injuring
anyone underneath.
Follow the directions for
changing a tire exactly, and never get under the vehicle
when it is supported only by
the jack.
Page 189 of 267

Reverse this procedure to store
the spare tire. Connect the spare
tire to the bracket with the outside
of the wheel facing up. Make sure
the tire does not catch on any part
of the underbody of the vehicle as
you are raising it, and that the spare tire is stored securely before
driving.
If the engine overheats:
The engine coolant temperaturegauge pointer will move up to
the "H" or higher. Engine "ping" will become
excessive.
Loss of engine power will be
noticed.
Either steam or boiling water
will squirt out of the radiator.
If you find that the engine is
overheating:
Stop the vehicle, and turn on
the hazard warning lights.
If you see or hear steam or
coolant coming from the
engine compartment, turn off the engine immediately. If you do not see or hear steam
or spray, turn off the A/C (if
on) and run the engine at a
speed slightly higher than idle
speed (about 1,500 rpm) for
several minutes. Watch the
coolant temperature gauge. If it
remains at the ''H" mark, turn
off the engine.
Open the hood only after all
signs of steam or hot coolant
spray have stopped. Look for
signs of an obvious leak, such
as a split radiator hose. If you
I n Cas e o f Emergenc y
Steam and spray from an
overheated engine can
seriously scald you.
Do not open the hood if steam
is coming out.
Engin
e Overheatin g
Page 190 of 267

find a leak, it must be repaired
before you can continue
driving. (See
Towing on page
187.)
If you don't find an obvious leak, check the coolant level inthe radiator reserve tank. If the
level is below the MIN mark, add
coolant to halfway between the
MIN and MAX marks.
If there was no coolant in the
reserve tank, you may also
have to add coolant to the
radiator.
Let the engine cool down until
the pointer reaches the middle
of the temperature gauge, orlower, before checking the
radiator. If needed, add coolant to the
radiator to bring the level up to the filler neck, and to the
reservoir up to the level indicated on the reservoir tank. Proper equipment must be used to
prevent damage to vehicles during
any towing. State and local laws
that apply to vehicles in tow must
be followed. Get detailed towing
instructions from your Honda
dealer.
Should it become necessary to
tow your vehicle, follow these
directions.
Precaution s
Before towing, make sure that
the power train, axle,
transmission, wheels and steering system are in good
condition.
If any of these items are
damaged, a flatbed trailer must
be used.
In Cas e o f Emergenc y
Towin
g
Removing the radiator cap
while the engine is hot can
cause the coolant to spray out, seriously scalding you.
Always let the engine andradiator cool down before
removing the radiator cap.
Page 191 of 267

Use only towing equipment
specifically designed for this
purpose, following the instructions of the equipment
manufacturer. A separate safety
chain system must be used.
For such towing, the parking
brake must be released, thetransmission must be in neutraland the key switch turned to
the "OFF" position (not
"LOCK").
Towing attachments must be made to main structural
members of the vehicle. Do not attach to bumpers or associated
brackets.
Remember that the power brake assist will not beavailable when the engine is
inoperative.
Towin
g Tip s
All Four Wheels on the Ground
1. Transfer case in 2H (4WD model only).
2. Transmission in Neutral
position.
3. Maximum speed 30 mph (50 km/h).
4. Maximum distance 50 miles (80 kilometers).
If you are towing the vehicle at distances and speeds greater thanshown, disconnect the propeller
shaft from the rear axle carrier.
On 4WD models, also disconnect
the front propeller shaft. Safely
secure the propeller shafts so they
will not fall and scrape the
ground.
Front Wheels off the Ground
1. Transfer case in 2H (4WD model only).
2. Transmission in Neutral position.
3. Maximum speed 30 mph (50 km/h).
4. Maximum distance 50 miles (80 kilometers).
If you are towing the vehicle at
distances and speeds greater than shown, disconnect the propeller
shaft from the rear axle carrier.
Safely secure the propeller shaft so it will not fall and scrape the
ground.
I n Cas e o f Emergenc y
Page 192 of 267

Rear Wheels off the Ground
1. Transfer case in 2H (4WD model only).
2. Transmission in Neutral position.
3. Maximum speed 30 mph (50 km/h).
4. Maximum distance 50 miles (80 kilometers).
If you need to tow your vehicle by
this method, secure the steering
wheel to keep the front wheels
pointed straight ahead. Do not
rely on the steering column lock; it is not strong enough to hold the
front wheels straight while
towing. The ignition switch must
be in the OFF position.
Inoperativ
e Electrica l Device s
If you have electrical problems without extreme damage to any
electrical parts, check for burned out fuses, broken wires, poor
connections or poor grounding. Correct as necessary.
The fuse boxes are located under
the left hand side of theinstrument panel and in the right
hand side of the engine compartment. (See "Fuses" on
page 236.)
Replacing a fuse with one that has
a higher rating greatly increases
the chances of damaging the
electrical system. If you do not
have a replacement fuse with the
proper rating for the circuit,
install one with a lower rating.
In Cas e o f Emergenc y
NOTIC
E
Page 194 of 267

Car
e an d Maintenanc e
This section explains why it is important to keep your vehicle
well maintained and to follow
basic maintenance safety
precautions.
This section also includes Maintenance Schedules for
normal driving and severe driving
conditions, a Maintenance
Record, and instructions for simple maintenance tasks you
may want to take care of yourself.
If you have the skills and tools
required to perform more complex
maintenance tasks on your Honda,
you may want to purchase the Service Manual. See page 249 for
information on how to obtain a
copy, or see your Honda dealer. Service Station Information . 193
Fuel Fill Cap .......... 193Fuel Recommendation ... 194
Fuel Tank Capacity ..... 194
Engine Oil Recommendation ...... 194
Windshield Washer ..... 194
Tire Inflation Pressures .. 194 Battery ............... 194
Hood Release .......... 195
Engine Oil Dipstick ..... 196
Fuel Requirements ........ 196 Oxygenated Fuels ...... 196
Maintenance Safety ....... 197 Important Safety
Precautions .......... 198
Maintenance Schedule ..... 199
Required Maintenance Record 202
Owner Safety Checks ...... 204
Engine Oil and Filter ...... 207 Proper Quality Oil ...... 207 Change Interval ........ 207
Oil
Change ........... 208
Oil Filter Installation . 208
Oil Viscosity .......... 209
Oil Level Check ....... 209
Engine Oil Additives ... 210
Air Cleaner Filter ........ 210
Manual Transmission Fluid 211
Automatic Transmission Fluid .................. 212
Front (4WD) and Rear Axles ............. 212
Engine Cooling System ... 213
Other Required Maintenance 215 Brake Master Cylinder . . 215
Shift-on-the-Fly System
. 216
Front Whee
l Bearings ... 216
Hood Latch and Hinges . 217
Air Conditioning ....... 217 Body Lubrication ...... 217
Car e an d Maintenanc e