Technica
l Informatio n
The diagrams in this section give you the dimensions and capacities ofyour Honda, and the locations of theidentification numbers. The expla-
nations of several electronic and
mechanical systems on your Honda are for the more technically-oriented
owner. Identification Numbers................. 262
Specifications................................. 264
DOT Tire Quality Grading........... 266 Treadwear.................................. 266
Traction....................................... 266
Temperature.............................. 26
7
Oxygenated Fuels.......................... 268
Driving i
n Foreign Countries....... 269
Emissions Controls........................ 270 The Clean Air Act...................... 270Crankcase Emissions Control System..................................... 270
Evaporative Emissions Control
System.....................................270
Exhaust Emissions Controls.... 271 PGM-FI System..................... 271
Ignition Timing Control
System.................................271
Exhaust Gas Recirculation (EGR) System.................... 271
Three Way Catalytic Converter............................ 271
Replacement Parts..................... 271
Three Way Catalytic Converter... 272
Technical Informatio n
Oxygenate
d Fuel s
Some conventional gasolines are
being blended with alcohol or an ether compound. These gasolines
are collectively referred to as
oxygenated fuels. To meet clean air
standards, some areas of the United
States and Canada use oxygenated
fuels to help reduce emissions.
If you use an oxygenated fuel, be
sure it is unleaded and meets the
minimum octane rating requirement.
Before using an oxygenated fuel, try
to confirm the fuel's contents. Some states/provinces require this
information to be posted on the
pump.
The following are the U.S. EPA and
Canadian CGSB approved
percentages of oxygenates:
ETHANO L (ethyl or grain alcohol)
You may use gasoline containing up to 10 percent ethanol by volume. Gasoline containing ethanol may be
marketed under the name "Gasohol."
MTB E (Methyl Tertiary Butyl
Ether)
You may use gasoline containing up to 15 percent MTBE by volume.
METHANO L (methyl or wood
alcohol)
Your vehicle was not designed to use fuel that contains methanol. Methanol can corrode metal parts in
the fuel system, and also damage plastic and rubber components. Thisdamage would not be covered by
your warranties. If you notice any undesirable
operating symptoms, try another
service station or switch to another
brand of gasoline.
Fuel system damage or performance
problems resulting from the use ofan oxygenated fuel containing more
than the percentages of oxygenates
given above are not covered under
warranty.
Technica l Informatio n
If you are planning to take your
Honda outside the U.S. or Canada,
contact the tourist bureaus in the areas you will be traveling in to find
out about the availability of unleaded
gasoline with the proper octane
rating.
If unleaded gasoline is not available,
be aware that using leaded gasoline in your Honda will affect perfor-
mance and fuel mileage, and damage
its emissions controls. It will no longer comply with U.S. and
Canadian emissions regulations, and
will be illegal to operate in North
America. To bring your car back into compliance will require the replace-
ment of several components, such as
the oxygen sensors and the three
way catalytic converter. These re- placements are not covered under
warranty.
Drivin
g in Foreig n Countrie s
Technica l Informatio n
Emission
s Control s
The burning of gasoline in your car's engine produces several byproducts.
Some of these are carbon monoxide (CO), oxides of nitrogen (NOx) and
hydrocarbons (HC). Gasoline evaporating from the tank also
produces hydrocarbons. Controlling
the production of NOx, CO, and HC is important to the environment.
Under certain conditions of sunlight and climate, NOx and HC react to
form photochemical "smog." Carbon monoxide does not contribute tosmog creation, but it is a poisonous
gas.
Th
e Clea n Ai r Ac t
The United States Clean Air Act* sets standards for automobile
emissions. It also requires that
automobile manufacturers explain to owners how their emissions controls
work and what to do to maintain
them. This section summarizes how
the emissions controls work.
Scheduled maintenance is on page 172.
* In Canada, Honda vehicles comply
with the Canadian Motor Vehicle Safety Standards (CMVSS) for
Emissions valid at the time they are
manufactured.
Crankcas e Emission s Contro l
Syste m
Your car has a Positive Crankcase
Ventilation System. This keeps gasses that build up in the engine'scrankcase from going into the
atmosphere. The Positive Crankcase
Ventilation valve routes them from the crankcase back to the intake
manifold. They are then drawn into
the engine and burned.
Evaporativ e Emission s Contro l
Syste m
As gasoline evaporates in the fuel tank, an evaporative emissionscontrol canister filled with charcoal
adsorbs the vapor. It is stored in this
canister while the engine is off. After
the engine is started and warmed up,
the vapor is drawn into the engineand burned during driving.
Onboar d Refuelin g Vapo r
Recover y
The Onboard Refueling Vapor Recovery (ORVR) system captures
the fuel vapors during refueling. The
vapors are adsorbed in a canister filled with activated carbon. While driving, the fuel vapors are drawn
into the engine and burned off.
Technica l Informatio n
Emission
s Control s
Exhaus t Emission s Control s
The exhaust emissions controls include four systems: PGM-FI,
Ignition Timing Control, Exhaust
Gas Recirculation and Three WayCatalytic Converter. These four
systems work together to control the
engine's combustion and minimize
the amount of HC, CO, and NOx that comes out the tailpipe. The exhaustemissions control systems are
separate from the crankcase and
evaporative emissions control
systems.
PGM-FI System
The PGM-FI System uses sequential multiport fuel injection.It has three subsystems: Air Intake,
Engine Control, and Fuel Control.
The Engine Control Module (ECM) uses various sensors to determine
how much air is going into the engine. It then controls how much
fuel to inject under all operating conditions. Ignition Timing Control System
This system constantly adjusts the ignition timing, reducing the amount
of HC, CO and NOx produced.
Exhaust Gas Recirculation (EGR)
System
The Exhaust Gas Recirculation (EGR) system takes some of the
exhaust gas and routes it back into
the intake manifold. Adding exhaust
gas to the air/fuel mixture reduces the amount of NOx produced when
the fuel is burned.
Three Way Catalytic Converter
The three way catalytic converter is in the exhaust system. Throughchemical reactions, it converts HC,
CO, and NOx in the engine's exhaust
to carbon dioxide (CO 2), dinitrogen
(N 2), and water vapor. Replacemen
t Part s
The emissions control systems are designed and certified to work to-
gether in reducing emissions to
levels that comply with the Clean Air
Act. To make sure the emissions remain low, you should use only newGenuine Honda replacement parts or
their equivalent for repairs. Using
lower quality parts may increase the emissions from your car.
The emissions control systems are covered by warranties separate from
the rest of your car. Read your
warranty manual for more informa- tion.
Technical Informatio n
Inde
x
Cleaning
Aluminum Wheels..................... 229
Carpeting.................................... 230
Exterior....................................... 228
Fabric.......................................... 230
Interior........................................ 230
Seat Belts.................................... 23
1
Vinyl............................................ 230
Windows..................................... 231
Clock, Settin
g the ............................ 90
Clutch Fluid.................................... 194
Coin Box........................................... 93
CO in the Exhaust......................... 270
Cold Weather, Starting in.............
141
Compact Spare............................... 236
Consumer Information*................
274
Controls, Instruments and.............. 51
Coolant
Adding......................................... 185
Checking.....................................
131
Proper Solution.......................... 185
Replacing.................................... 187
Temperatur
e Gauge.................... 59
Corrosion Protection..................... 232
Courtesy Lights............................... 95 Crankcase Emission Control
System.........................................270
Cruise Control Operation............... 67
Customer Relations Office........... 274
DANGER, Explanation of.................
ii
Dashboard........................................ 52
Daytime Running Lights................
. 62
Dead Battery, What to Do............ 244
Defects, Reporting Safety............. 278 Defog and Defrost......................... 104
Defogger, Rear Window................. 65
DEXRON ®
III Automatic
Transmission Fluid.................... 19
1
Dimensions..................................... 264
Dimming the Headlights................
62
Dipstick Automatic Transmission........... 19
1
Engine Oil...................................130
Directional Signals...........................
63
Disabled, Towing Your Car If...... 258
Disc Brake Wear Indicators......... 153
Disposal of Used Oil...................... 184 Doors
Locking and Unlocking............... 7
4
Power Door Locks....................... 7
4
DOT Tire Quality Grading...........
266
Downshifting, 5-speed Manual
Transmission.............................. 14 2
Driv
e Belts...................................... 204
Driving............................................ 139
Economy..................................... 132
In Bad Weather.......................... 158
In Foreign Countries................. 269
Economy, Fuel............................... 132
Emergencies on the Road............. 235 Batteiy, Jump Starting.............. 244
Brake System Indicator............ 251Changing a Flat Tire................. 237
Charging System Indicator ...... 249
Checking the Fuses................... 254
Low Oil Pressure Indicator...... 248
Malfunction Indicator Lamp .... 250
Manually Closing Moonroof .... 252
Overheated Engine................... 246
CONTINUED
Inde
x
Emergency Brake............................ 89
Emergency Flashers....................... 65
Emergency Towing....................... 258
Emission Controls......................... 270
Engine Coolant Temperature Gauge ..... 59
Malfunction Indicator
Lamp................................. 55, 250
Oil Pressure Indicator......... 55, 248
Oil, What Kind to Use............... 181
Overheating................................ 246
Specifications............................. 264
Ethanol in Gasoline ....................... 268
Evaporative Emission Controls.... 270
Exhaust Fumes................................ 49
Expectant Mothers, Use of Seat Belts by......................................... 19
Exterior. Cleaning the................... 228
Fabric, Cleaning............................. 230
Fan, Interior...................................... 98
Features, Comfort and
Convenience.................................
97
Filling the Fuel Tank.....................
127
Filters
Air................................................ 195
Oil................................................ 183
First
Gear, Shifting........................ 150
5-speed Manual Transmission Checking Fluid Level................ 192
Shifting the................................. 142
Flashers, Hazard Warning.............. 65
Flat Tire, Changing a.................... 237
Fluids Automatic Transmission........... 191
Brake........................................... 193
Clutch.......................................... 194
Manual Transmission............... 192
Power Steering........................... 194
Windshield Washer................... 190
FM Stereo Radio
Reception.................................... 110
Folding Rear Seat............................ 84
Foreign Countries, Driving in...... 269
Four-way Flashers........................... 65
Front End, Towing by
Emergency Wrecker................. 258
Fuel.................................................. 126
Fill Door and Cap....................... 127
Gauge............................................ 59
Octane Requirement................. 126
Oxygenated................................ 268
Reserve Indicator......................... 57
Tank, Filling the......................... 127
Fuses, Checking the...................... 254
Gas Mileage. Improving................ 132
Gasohol........................................... 268
Gasoline.......................................... 126
Fuel Reserve Indicator................ 57
Gauge............................................ 59
Octane Requirement................. 126
Tank, Filling the......................... 127
Gas Station Procedures................. 127
Gauges
Engine Coolant Temperature .... 59
Fuel................................................ 59
Gearshift Lever Positions Automatic Transmission........... 144
5-speed Manual Transmission.......................... 142
Glass Cleaning............................... 231
Glove Box......................................... 79
Index
Locks
Anti-theft Steering Column........ 73
Fuel Fill Door............................. 127Glove Box..................................... 79
Power Door.................................. 74
Trunk............................................ 78
Low Coolant Level......................... 131
Lower Gear, Downshifting to a.... 142
Low Fuel Indicator .......................... 57
Low Oil Pressure Indicator.... 55, 248
Lubricant Specifications
Chart........................................... 264
Luggage.......................................... 135
Maintenance................................... 167
Owner Maintenance Checks.... 179
Record.................................. 177-178
Required Indicator....................... 60
Schedule.............................. 170-176
Malfunction Indicator Lamp .. 55, 250
Manual Transmission.................... 142
Manual Transmission Fluid ......... 192
Maximum Allowable Speeds................................. 143, 150
Meters, Gauges................................ 58
Methanol in Gasoline.................... 268
Mirrors, Adjusting........................... 88
Moonroof.......................................... 87
Closing Manually....................... 252
Operation...................................... 87
Neutral Gear Position.................... 147
New Vehicle Break-in ................... 126
Normal Shift Speeds...................... 143
NOTICE, Explanation of.................... i
Numbers, Identification................ 262
Octane Requirement, Gasoline.... 126
Odometer.......................................... 58
Odometer, Trip................................ 58
Oil Change, How to ......................... 183
Change, When to....................... 172
Checking Engine....................... 130
Pressure Indicator............... 55, 248
Selecting Proper Viscosity
Chart....................................... 182
ON (Ignition Key Position) ............ 73
Opening the Hood ......................... 128
Opening the Trunk.......................... 78
Operation in Foreign Countries... 269
Outside Mirrors............................... 88
Overheating, Engine..................... 246
Panel Brightness Control............... 63
Park Gear Position......................... 146
Parking............................................ 152
Parking Brake.................................. 89 Parking Lights.................................. 62
Parking Over Things that Burn... 272
PGM-FI System.............................. 271
Polishing and Waxing................... 229
Power
Door Locks................................... 74
Mirrors.......................................... 88
Steering....................................... 194
Windows....................................... 85
Pregnancy, Using Seat Belts.......... 19