Page 126 of 372
Climate Control System
The button directs the main
air flow to the windshield for fasterdefrosting. It also overrides any
MODE selection you may have made. When you select , the A/C
turns on automatically and the system selects Fresh Air mode. For
faster defrosting, manually set the
fan speed to high. You can also increase air flow to the windshield by
closing the side vents in the
dashboard.
When you turn off by
pressing the button again, the system returns to its former settings.
Rear Window Defogger Button
This button turns the rear window defogger on and off (see page 66 ).
REAR WINDOW DEFOGGER BUTTON
Comfort and Convenience Features
Page 127 of 372
Climate Control System
Sunlight Sensor/Temperature
Sensor
SUNLIGHT
SENSOR
The climate control system has two
sensors. A sunlight sensor is located
in the top of the dashboard and a
temperature sensor is next to thesteering column. Do not cover the
sensors or spill any liquid on them. TEMPERATURE
SENSOR
Comfort and Convenience Features
Page 269 of 372

Air Conditioning Filter, Drive Belts
Air Conditioning FilterThe air conditioning filter removes pollen and dust that is brought in
from the outside through the heatingand cooling system.
This filter should be replaced every 30,000 miles (48,000 km) under
normal conditions. It should be replaced every 15,000 miles (24,000
km) if you drive primarily in urban areas that have high concentrationsof soot in the air from industry and
diesel-powered vehicles. Replace it
more often if air flow from the
climate control system becomes less
than usual. Have the air conditioning
filter replaced by your Honda dealer. Drive Belts
Check the condition of the drive
belts (two on 4-cylinder models, one
on 6-cylinder models). Examine the
edges of each belt for cracks or
fraying.
Check the tension of each belt by
pushing on it with your thumb
midway between the pulleys.
The belts should have the following
"play" or deflection.
4-cylinder models
Alternator belt: (On vehicles without A/C)
0.41 — 0.49 in (10.5 — 12.5 mm)
(On vehicles with A/C)
0.28 — 0.35 in (7.0 — 9.0 mm)
Power steering belt:
0.51 — 0.63 in (13.0 — 16.0 mm)
Maintenance
ALTERNATOR BELT
4-cylinder models
POWER STEERING
BELT
6-cylinder models
POWER STEERING BELT
Page 296 of 372

Corrosion Protection
Two factors normally contribute to causing corrosion in your car:
1. Moisture trapped in body cavities. Dirt and road salt that collects in
hollows on the underside of the car stays damp, promoting
corrosion in that area.
2. Removal of paint and protective coatings from the exterior and
underside of the car. Many corrosion-preventive measures
are built into your Honda. You can
help keep your car from corroding
by performing some simple periodic maintenance:
Repair chips and scratches in the
paint as soon as you discover them.
Inspect and clean out the drain
holes in the bottom of the doorsand body.
Check the floor coverings for
dampness. Carpeting and floor
mats may remain damp for a long
time, especially in winter. This dampness can eventually cause
the floor panels to corrode. Use a high-pressure spray to clean
the underside of your car. This is
especially important in areas that
use road salt in winter. It is also a
good idea in humid climates and areas subject to salt air. Cars
equipped with ABS have a sensor
and wiring at each wheel. Be
careful not to damage them.
Have the corrosion-preventive
coatings on the underside of your
car inspected and repaired
periodically.
Appearance Care
Page 307 of 372

If Your Engine Won't Start, Jump Starting
The Starter Operates Normally In this case, the starter motor's
speed sounds normal, or even faster
than normal, when you turn the
ignition switch to START (III), but
the engine does not run.
Are you using the proper startingprocedure? Refer to Starting the
Engine on page 193 .Do you have fuel? Turn the
ignition switch to ON (II) for a
minute and watch the fuel gauge.
The low fuel level warning light may not be working, so you werenot reminded to fill the tank.
There may be an electrical problem, such as no power to the
fuel pump. Check all the fuses (see page 315).
If you find nothing wrong, you will
need a qualified technician to find
the problem. See Emergency
Towing on page 320 . Jump Starting
If your car's battery has run down,
you may be able to start the engine
by using a booster battery. Although
this seems like a simple procedure,
you should take several precautions.
You cannot start a Honda with an automatic transmission by pushing
or pulling it. To jump start your car, follow these
directions closely:
1. Open the hood and check the physical condition of the battery(see page 260). In very cold
weather, check the condition of the electrolyte. If it seems slushy
or like ice, do not try jump starting
until it thaws.
If a battery sits in extreme cold, the electrolyte inside can freeze.
Attempting to jump start with a frozen battery can cause it to rupture.
2. Turn off all the electrical acces- sories: climate control, stereo
system, lights, etc.
Put the transmission in Neutral or
Park and set the parking brake.
Taking Care of the Unexpected
A battery can explode if you do
not follow the correct procedure,
seriously injuring anyone nearby.
Keep all sparks, open flames,
and smoking materials away
from the battery.
NOTICE
Page 311 of 372

If Your Engine Overheats
4. If the temperature gauge stays at the red mark, turn off the engine.
5. Wait until you see no more signs of steam or spray, then open the
hood.
6. Look for any obvious coolant leaks, such as a split radiator hose.
Everything is still extremely hot,so use caution. If you find a leak, it
must be repaired before you
continue driving (see Emergency
Towing on page 320).
7. If you don't find an obvious leak, check the coolant level in the
radiator reserve tank (see page 184). If the level is below the
MIN mark, add coolant to halfway
between the MIN and MAX marks.
8. 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 tempera-
ture gauge, or lower, before check- ing the radiator.
9. Using gloves or a large heavy cloth, turn the radiator cap
counterclockwise, without pushing
down, to the first stop. This
releases any remaining pressure in
the cooling system. After the
pressure releases, push down on
the cap and turn it until it comes
off. 10. Start the engine and set the
temperature control dial tomaximum (climate control to
FULL AUTO at 90°F/32°C). Add
coolant to the radiator up to the
base of the filler neck. If you do
not have the proper coolant mixture available, you can add
plain water. Remember to have
the cooling system drained and refilled with the proper mixture as
soon as you can.
11. Put the radiator cap back on tightly. Run the engine and watch
the temperature gauge. If it goes
back to the red mark, the engine
needs repair. (See Emergency
Towing on page 320.)
12. If the temperature stays normal, check the coolant level in the
radiator reserve tank. If it has
gone down, add coolant to the MAX mark. Put the cap back on
tightly.
Taking Care of the Unexpected
Removing the radiator cap
while the engine is hot can
cause the coolant to spray out, seriously scalding you.
Always let the engine and radiator cool down before
removing the radiator cap.
Page 332 of 372

DOT Tire Quality Grading (U.S. Vehicles)
The tires on your car meet all U.S. Federal Safety Requirements. All
tires are also graded for treadwear,
traction, and temperature perform- ance according to Department of
Transportation (DOT) standards.
The following explains these
gradings.
Uniform Tire Quality Grading Quality grades can be found where
applicable on the tire sidewall
between the tread shoulder and the maximum section width. For
example:
Treadwear 200Traction AA
Temperature A
All passenger car tires must conform to Federal Safety Requirements inaddition to these grades.
Treadwear
The treadwear grade is a compara-
tive rating based on the wear rate of
the tire when tested under controlledconditions on a specified government
test course. For example, a tire
graded 150 would wear one and one-
half (11/2) times as well on the
government course as a tire graded 100. The relative performance of
tires depends upon the actual condi-
tions of their use, however, and may depart significantly from the normdue to variations in driving habits,
service practices and differences in
road characteristics and climate. Traction
The traction grades, from highest to lowest, are AA, A, B, and C. Those
grades represent the tire's ability tostop on wet pavement as measured
under controlled conditions on specified government test surfaces
of asphalt and concrete. A tire
marked C may have poor traction
performance.
Warning: The traction grade assigned to this tire is based onstraight-ahead braking traction tests,
and does not include acceleration,
cornering, hydroplaning, or peak
traction characteristics.
Technical Information
Page 336 of 372

Emissions Controls
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 sunlightand climate, NOx and HC react to
form photochemical "smog." Carbon monoxide does not contribute tosmog creation, but it is a poisonous
gas.
The Clean Air Act
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
224.
* In Canada, Honda vehicles comply
with the Canadian Motor Vehicle
Safety Standards (CMVSS) for
Emissions valid at the time they are
manufactured.
Crankcase Emissions Control
System
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.
Evaporative Emissions Control
System
As gasoline evaporates in the fuel tank, an evaporative emissions
control canister filled with charcoaladsorbs 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 engine and burned during driving.
Onboard Refueling Vapor
Recovery
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.
Technical Information