Traction Control System
If the TCS indicator comes on while
driving, pull to the side of the road
when it is safe and turn off the engine. Reset the system by re-starting the engine, and watch the
TCS indicator. If the indicator remains on, or comes back on while
driving, have the TCS inspected by
your Honda dealer. You can still drive the vehicle without TCS.
The TCS indicator may occasionally come on for one or two seconds and
then go out. This is normal.
This indicator will come on along
with the ABS indicator if there is a problem in the anti-lock brakesystem (see ABS Indicator on page
205).
If the TCS indicator comes on along
with the ABS indicator, it indicates a
problem in the anti-lock brakesystem (see ABS Indicator on page
55).
Driving
Driving in Bad Weather
Rain, fog, and snow conditions
require 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
conditions. Driving Technique — Always drive
slower than you would in dry
weather. It takes your car longer to react, even in conditions that mayseem 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 city spell. After
months of dry weather, the first
rains bring oil to the surface of the
roadway, making it slippery.
Driving
CONTINUED
Driving in Bad Weather
Visibility — Being able to see clearly in all directions and being
visible to other drivers are important in all weather conditions. This ismore difficult in bad weather. To beseen 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 (seepage 115). 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 tomoment. Wet leaves can be as slip-
pery as ice. "Clear" roads can have
patches of ice. Driving conditionscan 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. Be very cautious when passing, or
being passed by other vehicles. The spray from large vehicles reduces
your visibility, and the wind buffeting can cause you to lose control.
Driving
Towing a Trailer
Your Honda has been designed primarily to carry passengers and
their cargo. You can use it to tow a
trailer if you carefully observe the
load limits, use the proper equipment, and follow the guidelines in this
section.
Load Limits Total Trailer Weight: The total
weight of the trailer and everything loaded in it must not
exceed 1,000 Ibs (450 kg). Towing
a load that is too heavy can
seriously affect your vehicle's
handling and performance. It can also damage the engine and
drivetrain. Tongue Load: The weight that
the tongue of a fully-loaded trailer
puts on the hitch should beapproximately 10 percent of the
trailer weight. Too little tongue
load can make the trailer unstable and cause it to sway. Too much
tongue load reduces front-tire traction and steering control.
Driving
Technical Information
The diagrams in this section give you the dimensions and capacities of
your Honda, and the locations of the identification numbers. It also
includes information you should
know about your vehicle's tires and
emissions control systems.
Identification Numbers................. 324
Specifications................................. 326
DOT Tire Quality Grading........... 329
Treadwear.................................. 329
Traction....................................... 329
Temperature.............................. 330 Oxygenated Fuels.......................... 331
Driving in Foreign Countries....... 332
Emissions Controls........................ 333 The Clean Air Act...................... 333Crankcase Emissions Control System..................................... 333
Evaporative Emissions Control System..................................... 333
Onboard Refueling Vapor Recovery................................. 333
Exhaust Emissions Controls.... 334 PGM-FI System..................... 334
Ignition Timing Control
System.................................334
Three Way Catalytic
Converter............................ 334
Replacement Parts..................... 334
Three Way Catalytic Converter... 335 State Emissions Testing............... 336
Technical Information
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
Index
Tires................................................ 267 Air Pressure............................... 268
Checking Wear.......................... 270
Compact Spare........................... 298
DOT Tire Quality Grading....... 331 Inflation....................................... 268
Inspection................................... 270Replacing.................................... 271
Rotating....................................... 271
Snow............................................273
Specifications............................. 328
Tools, Tire Changing.................... 297
Towing
ATrailer......................................211
Emergency Wrecker................. 320
Traction Control System (TCS) Indicator...............................
56, 207
Operation................................... 207
Transmission Checking Fluid Level,Automatic...................... 247, 248
Checking Fluid Level,
Manual.................................... 248
Fluid Selection .................. 247, 248
Identification Number............... 319
Shifting the Automatic.............. 196
Shifting the Manual................... 195
Treadwear...................................... 329
Trip Meter........................................ 59
Trunk................................................. 80
Opening the..................................
80
Open Monitor Light.................... 56
Turn Signals..................................... 64
Underside, Cleaning...................... 293
Unexpected, Taking Care
of the........................................... 295
Uniform Tire Quality Grading..... 329
Unleaded Gasoline......................... 178
Upholstery Cleaning...................... 292
Used Oil, How to Dispose of........ 238
Vanity Mirror................................. 105
Vehicle Capacity Load .................. 189
Vehicle Dimensions....................... 326
Vehicle Identification Number..... 324
Vehicle Storage.............................. 287
VIN.................................................. 324
Vinyl Cleaning................................ 293
Viscosity, Oil................................... 235
WARNING, Explanation of.............. ii
Warning Labels, Location of.......... 50
Warranty Coverages*................... 341
Washer, Windshield Checking the Fluid Level......... 246Operation...................................... 65
Washing.......................................... 290
Waxing and Polishing................... 289
Wheels Adjusting the Steering................ 66
Alignment and Balance............. 270Compact Spare........................... 296
Wrench....................................... 298
Windows
Cleaning......................................292
Operating the Power................... 97
Rear, Defogger............................ 66
Windshield Cleaning........................................ 64
Washers........................................ 66