Headlights
The rotating switch on the left lever
controls the lights. Turning this
switch to the
" ;oa~ " position turns
on the parking lights, taillights,
instrument panel lights, side-marker
lights, and
rear license plate lights.
Turning the switch to
the " ~D "
position turns on the headlights.
Controls Near the Steering Wheel
If you leave the lights on with the
ignition switch in
ACCESSORY (I)
or LOCK (O), you will hear a
reminder tone when you open the
driver's door.
To change from low beams to high
beams, push
the turn signal lever
forward until you
hear a click. The
blue high beam indicator will light
(see page
46 ) . To return to low
beams, pull the turn signal lever
back.
To flash the high beams, pull the
turn signal lever back lightly, then
release it.
The high beams will come
on and go off.
The high beams will
stay on for as long as you hold the
lever back, no matter what position
the headlight switch is in.
Instruments and Controls 51
Controls Near the Steering Wheel
Daytime Running Lights
Canadian models only
With the headlight switch off, the
high beam headlights come on with
reduced brightness when you turn
the ignition switch to
0 N (II) and
release
the parking brake. They
remain on until you turn the ignition
off, even
if you set the parking brake.
The headlights revert to normal
operation when you turn
them on
with the switch.
52 Instruments and Controls
Instrument Panel Brightness
·.···.·.~.·.~.·~.· •. ~ ... · .. ~ ... · .. ~~.·~ .. ·.·.~.~.' .•.•.••.•. '. ). 3)1, .. ~·. ~~ .... 2;~··•············
• ~ •• < ; .~C~L!io'""'"i .... · •• :•. • .• •·•··.·····•·• cat'J +'f•H
} c .... ~ .... ,.., ... .;,., .... ,.., .. ..,..,..,.~~ ........ .
!0•~~/Tri
The buttons in the lower left corner
of the instrument panel adjust
the
brightness of the display in five steps.
Push the + or -button five times
to see the full range.
The display dims when the parking
lights or headlights are turned
on.
Adjust the brightness to the desired
level with the headlight switch off,
and also with the headlight switch
on.
Both settings will remain at those
levels until you change them.
With
the headlight switch on, you
can switch the display to full daytime
brightness by pushing and holding
the
+ button. Push the -button to
return the display to
the original
brightness.
Turn Signals
Signal a turn or lane change with this
lever.
Push down on the lever to
signal a left turn, and up to signal a
right turn.
If you push it up or down
all the way, the turn signal continues
to blink even when you release the
lever.
It shuts off automatically as
you complete the turn.
Controls Near the Steering Wheel
To signal a lane change, push lightly Windshield Wipers
on the turn signal lever in the proper
direction and hold
it. The lever will
return to the center position as soon
as you release it.
This lever controls the windshield
wipers and washers.
It has five
positions;
MIST: mist
OFF: off
INT: intermittent
LO: low speed
HI: high speed
To select a position, push the lever
up or down.
CONTINUED
Instruments and Controls 53
Modifications
Do not remove any original
equipment or modify your car in any
way
that would alter its design or
operation. This could make your car
unsafe and illegal to drive.
For example, do not make any
modifications
that would change the
ride height of your car, or install
wheels and tires with a different
overall diameter.
Such modifications can adversely
affect handling, and interfere with
the operation of the car's anti-lock
brakes and other systems.
Accessories and Modifications
In addition, any modifications that
decrease ground clearance increase
the chance of undercarriage parts
striking a curb, speed bump, or other
raised object, which could cause
your airbags to deploy.
Do not modify your steering wheel
or any other part of your
Supplemental Restraint System.
Modifications could make the
system ineffective. Additional Safety Precaution
Do not attach or place objects on the
airbag covers. Any object attached to
or placed on the covers marked
"SRS
AIRBAG," in the center of the
steering wheel and on top of the
dashboard, could interfere with the
proper operation of the airbags.
Or,
if the airbags inflate, the objects
could be propelled inside the car and
hurt someone.
Before Driving 123
The Braking System
You should never pump the
brake pedal, this defeats the
purpose of the ABS. Let the ABS
work for you by always keeping firm,
steady pressure on the brake pedal
as you
steer away from the hazard.
This is sometimes referred to as
"stomp and steer."
You will feel a pulsation in the brake
pedal when the
ABS activates, and
you may
hear some noise. This is
normal, it is the
ABS rapidly
pumping the brakes.
Activation varies with the amount of
traction your tires have.
On dry
pavement, you will need to press on
the brake pedal very
hard before you
activate the
ABS. However, you may
feel the
ABS activate immediately if
you are trying to stop on snow or ice.
138
Driving
Important Safety Reminders
ABS does not reduce the time or
distance it takes to stop the car, it
only helps with steering control
during braking. You should always
maintain a safe following distance
from other vehicles.
ABS will not prevent a skid that
results from changing direction
abruptly, such as trying to take a
corner too fast or making a sudden
lane change. Always drive at a safe,
prudent speed for the road and
weather conditions.
ABS cannot prevent a loss of
stability. Always steer moderately
when you are braking hard.
Severe
or sharp steering wheel movement
can still cause your car to veer into
oncoming traffic
or off the road.
A car with ABS may require a
longer
distance to stop on loose or
uneven surfaces, such as gravel
or
snow, than a car without anti-lock.
Slow down and allow a greater
distance between cars under those
conditions.
Driving in Bad Weather
Rain, fog, and snow conditions re
quire a different driving technique
because of reduced traction and
visibility. Keep your car well
maintained and exercise greater
caution when you need to drive in
bad weather.
The cruise control
should not be used in these condi
tions.
140 Driving
Driving Technique -Always drive
slower than you would
in dry
weather.
It takes your car longer to
react, even
in conditions that may
seem just barely damp. Apply
smooth, even pressure to
all the
controls. Abrupt steering wheel
movements or sudden, hard appli
cation of the brakes can cause loss of
control in wet weather. Be extra
cautious for the first few miles
(kilometers) of driving while you
adjust to the change in driving
conditions.
This is especially true in
snow. A person can forget some
snow-driving techniques during the
summer months.
Practice is needed
to relearn those skills.
Exercise extra caution when driving
in rain after a long dry spell. After
months of dry weather, the first
rains bring
oil to the surface of the
roadway, making it slippery.
Visibility -Being able to see
clearly in
all directions and being
visible to other drivers are important
in all weather conditions. This is
more difficult
in bad weather. To be
seen more clearly during daylight
hours, turn on your headlights.
Inspect your windshield wipers and
washers frequently. Keep the wind
shield washer reservoir full of the
proper fluid. Have the windshield
wiper blades replaced
if they start to
streak the windshield or leave parts
unwiped.
Use the defrosters and air
conditioning to keep the windows
from fogging up on
the inside (see
page
91 ).
Traction -Check your tires
frequently for wear and proper
pressure. Both are important
in
preventing "hydroplaning" (loss of
traction on a wet surface). In the
winter, mount snow tires on all four
wheels for the
best handling.
Watch road conditions carefully,
they can change from moment to
moment. Wet leaves can be as
slip
pery as ice. "Clear" roads can have
patches of ice. Driving conditions
can be very hazardous when the
outside temperature is near freezing.
The road surface can become
covered with areas of water puddles
mixed with areas of ice, so your
traction can change without warning.
Be careful when downshifting. If
traction is low, you can lock up the
drive wheels for a moment and cause
a skid.
Driving in Bad Weather, Towing a Trailer
Be very cautious when passing, or
being passed by other cars.
The
spray from large cars reduces your
visibility, and the wind buffeting can
cause you to lose control.
Towing a Trailer
Your car is not designed to tow a
trailer. Attempting to
do so can void
your warranties.
Driving 141
Storing Your Car
If you need to park your car for an
extended period (more than one
month), there are several things you
should
do to prepare it for storage.
Proper preparation helps prevent
deterioration and makes it easier to
get your car back on the road.
If
possible, store your car indoors.
• Fill the fuel tank.
• Change the engine oil and filter
(see page 159).
• Wash and dry the exterior
completely.
• Clean the interior. Make sure the
carpeting, floor mats, etc. are
completely dry.
• Raise the convertible top cover.
• Leave the parking brake off. Put
the transmission in Reverse.
202 Maintenance
• Block the rear wheels.
• If the car is to be stored for a
longer period, it should be
supported on jackstands so the
tires are off the ground.
• Leave one window open slightly (if
the car is being stored indoors).
• Disconnect the battery.
• Support the front wiper blade
arms with a folded towel or rag so
they
do not touch the windshield.
• To minimize sticking, apply a
silicone spray lubricant to
all door
and trunk seals. Also, apply a
vehicle body wax to the painted
surfaces that mate with the door
and trunk seals.
• Cover the car with a "breathable"
cover, one made from a porous
material such as cotton.
Nonporous materials, such as
plastic sheeting, trap moisture,
which can damage
the paint.
• If possible, run the engine for a
while periodically (preferably once
a month).
If you store your car for 12 months
or longer, have your Honda dealer
perform the inspections called for
in
the 24 months/30,000 miles (48,000
km) maintenance schedule as soon
as you take it out of storage (see
page
148 ). The replacements called
for
in the maintenance schedule are
not needed unless the car has
actually reached that time or mileage.