Page 177 of 273
Hood Latch, Spark Plugs
Hood Latch
Clean the hood latch assembly with a
mild cleaner, then lubricate it with a
multipurpose grease. Lubricate
all
the moving parts, including the pivot.
Follow the time and distance
recommendations
in the
Maintenance Schedule.
If you are
not sure how to clean and grease the
latch, contact your Honda dealer.
17 4 Maintenance
Spark Plugs
The spark plugs in your car are a
special platinum-tipped design for
longer life.
They only need to be
replaced every 7 years or
105,000
miles (168,000 km), whichever
comes first.
Replacement
1. Remove the four hexagon socket
head cap bolts holding the ignition
coil cover.
2. Clean up any dirt and oil that have
collected around the ignition coils.
Page 178 of 273
3. Remove the bolt holding the
ignition coil and pull the ignition
coil straight up slightly.
Disconnect
the ignition coil
connector by pushing the tab and
pulling the connector back.
Pull the ignition coil all the way up.
4. Remove the spark plug with
a five-eighths inch (16 mm) spark
plug socket.
5. Put the new spark plug into the
socket; then screw it into the hole.
Screw it
in by hand so you do not
crossthread it.
Spark Plugs
6. Torque the spark plug. (If you do
not have a torque wrench, tighten
the spark plug two-thirds of a turn
after it contacts the cylinder head.)
Tightening torque:
i 18 lbfeft (25 N•m, 2.5 kgf•m)
CONTINUED
Maintenance 175
Page 179 of 273
Spark Plugs
I NOTICE I
Tighten the spark plugs carefully. A
spark plug that is too loose can
overheat and damage the engine.
Overtightening can cause damage to
the threads
in the cylinder head.
7. Install the ignition coil. Reinstall
the bolt.
8. Repeat this procedure for the
other three spark plugs.
9. Reinstall the cover on the cylinder
bank. Reinstall the four hexagon
socket head cap bolts.
176 Maintenance
Specifications:
NGK:
DENSO:
PFR7G-11S
PK22PR-L 11S
Spark Plug Gap:
0.043 in ~g004in(1.1 mm •g1mm)
Page 180 of 273
Check the condition of your car's
battery monthly. You should check
the color of
the test indicator window,
and for corrosion on
the terminals.
Check
the battery condition by
looking at the test indicator window
on the battery.
The label on the battery explains the
test indicator's colors.
Battery
Check the battery terminals for
corrosion (a white or yellowish
powder).
To remove it, cover the
terminals with a solution of baking
soda and water.
It will bubble up and
turn brown. When this stops, wash it
off with plain water. Dry off the
battery with a cloth or paper towel.
Coat the terminals with grease to
help prevent future corrosion.
CONTINUED
Maintenance 177
Page 181 of 273
Battery
If the terminals are severely cor
roded, clean them with baking soda
and water.
Then use a wrench to
loosen and remove
the cables from
the terminals. Always disconnect
the
negative (-) cable first and recon
nect it last. Clean
the battery termi"
nals with a terminal cleaning tool or
wire brush. Reconnect and tighten
the cables, then coat
the terminals
with grease.
178
Maintenance
If you need to connect the battery to
a charger, disconnect both cables to
prevent damage to
the car's
electrical system. The battery gives off explosive
hydrogen gas during normal
operation.
A spark
or flame can cause the
battery to
explode with enough
force to
kill or seriously hurt you.
Wear protective
clothing and a
face
shield, or have a skilled
mechanic do the battery
maintenance.
Page 182 of 273
If your car's battery is disconnected
or goes dead, the audio system will
disable itself. The next time you turn
on the radio you
will see "Code" in
the frequency display. Use the
Preset buttons to enter the five-digit
code (see page
113 ) .
I NOTICE
Charging the battery with the cables
connected can seriously damage your
car's electronic controls. Detach the
battery cables before connecting the
battery
to a charger.
Battery
Maintenance 179
Page 183 of 273
Wiper Blades
Check the condition of the wiper
blades at least every six months.
Look for signs of cracking in
the
rubber, or areas that are getting
hard. Replace
the blades if you find
these signs, or they leave streaks
and unwiped areas when used.
180 Maintenance
To replace the blade:
1. Raise the wiper arm off the
windshield.
2. Disconnect the blade assembly
from
the wiper arm by pushing in
the lock tab. Hold it in while you
push
the blade assembly toward
the base of the arm.
Page 184 of 273
3. Remove the blade from its holder
by grasping the tabbed end of the
blade.
Pull firmly until the tabs
come out of the holder.
4. Examine the new wiper blades. If
they have no plastic or metal rein
forcement along the back edge,
remove the metal reinforcement
strips from the old wiper blade and
install
them in the slots along the
edge of
the new blade.
Wiper Blades
5. Slide the new wiper blade into the
holder until
the tabs lock.
6. Slide the wiper blade assembly
onto the wiper arm. Make sure it
locks in place.
7. Lower the wiper arm down against
the windshield.
Maintenance 181