Page 201 of 372

Automatic Transmission
Park (P) — This position mechani-cally locks the transmission. Use
Park whenever you are turning off or
starting the engine. To shift out of
Park, you must press on the brake
pedal and have your foot off the accelerator pedal. Press the release
button on the side of the shift lever
to move it.
If you have done all of the above andstill cannot move the lever out of
Park, see Shift Lock Release on page 200.
You must also press the release button to shift into Park. To avoid
transmission damage, come to a complete stop before shifting into
Park. The shift lever must be in Park
before you can remove the key from the ignition switch. Reverse (R) — To shift to Reverse
from Park, see the explanation under
Park. To shift to Reverse from
Neutral, come to a complete stop and
then shift. Press the release button
before shifting into Reverse from Neutral. Neutral (N) — Use Neutral if you
need to restart a stalled engine, or if
it is necessary to stop briefly with
the engine idling. Shift to Park posi-
tion if you need to leave the car for
any reason. Press on the brake pedal
when you are moving the shift lever from Neutral to another gear.
Drive (D4) — Use this position for
your normal driving. The transmis- sion automatically selects a suitable
gear for your speed and acceleration.
You may notice the transmission shifting up at higher speeds when
the engine is cold. This helps the
engine warm up faster.
Driving
Page 203 of 372
Automatic Transmission
Engine Speed LimiterIf you exceed the maximum speed
for the gear you are in, the engine speed will enter into the tachometer's
red zone. If this occurs, you may feel the engine cut in and out. This iscaused by a limiter in the engine's
computer controls. The engine will
run normally when you reduce the
RPM below the red zone. Shift Lock Release
This allows you to move the shift lever out of Park if the normal
method of pushing on the brake
pedal and pressing the release button does not work.
1. Set the Parking brake.
2. Remove the key from the ignition
switch.
3. Put a cloth on the edge of the ShiftLock Release slot cover next to
the shift lever. Use a small flat-tipped screwdriver
or small metal plate (neither are
included in the tool kit) to remove
the cover. Carefully pry off theedge of the cover.
4. Insert the key in the Shift Lock Release slot.
Driving
Page 204 of 372
Automatic Transmission
5. Push down on the key while you press the release button on the
shift lever and move the shift lever
out of Park to Neutral.
6. Remove the key from the Shift Lock Release slot, then reinstall
the cover. Make sure the notch on
the cover is on the left side.
Depress the brake pedal and
restart the engine. If you need to use the Shift Lock
Release, it means your car is developing a problem. Have the car
checked by your Honda dealer.
Driving
Page 205 of 372

Parking
Always use the parking brake when you park your car. The indicator onthe instrument panel shows that the
parking brake is not fully released; itdoes not indicate that the parking
brake is firmly set. Make sure the
parking brake is set firmly or your car may roll if it is parked on an
incline.
If your car has an automatic
transmission, set the parking brake before you put the transmission in
Park. This keeps the car from
moving and putting pressure on the
parking mechanism in the
transmission — making it easier to
move the shift lever out of Park
when you want to drive away. If the car is facing uphill, turn the
front wheels away from the curb. If
you have a manual transmission, put it in first gear.
If the car is facing downhill, turn the
front wheels toward the curb. If you have a manual transmission, put it in
reverse gear.
Make sure the parking brake is fully
released before driving away. Driving with the parking brake
partially set can overheat or damage
the rear brakes. Parking Tips
Make sure the moonroof and the
windows are closed.
Turn off the lights. Place any packages, valuables, etc.,
in the trunk or take them with you.
Lock the doors with the key or the
remote transmitter.
On EX and EX-V6 models
Check the indicator on the driver's
door to verify that the security
system is set.
Never park over dry leaves, tall
grass, or other flammable materials. The three way catalytic
converter gets very hot, and could
cause these materials to catch on
fire.
Driving
Page 245 of 372
Cooling System
1. Open the hood. Make sure the engine and radiator are cool to the
touch.
Except EX- V6 model
Turn the ignition ON (II). Turn the temperature control Dial all
the way clockwise. Turn off theignition and remove the key.
EX-V6 model
Turn the ignition ON (II). Turn the temperature control dial to90°F (32° C). Turn off the ignition
and remove the key.
2. Remove the radiator cap.
4-cylinder models
3. Loosen the drain plug on the bottom of the radiator. Thecoolant will drain through the
splash guard. Remove the drain
bolt and washer from the engine
block.
Maintenance
DRAIN
BOLT
DRAIN
PLUG
6-cylinder models
4-cylinder models
4-cylinder models
Page 305 of 372

Changing a Flat Tire, If Your Engine Won't Start
17. Place the flat tire face down in the spare tire well.
18. Remove the spacer cone from the wing bolt, turn it over, and put itback on the bolt.
19. Secure the flat tire by screwing the wing bolt back into its hole. 20. Store the jack in its holder. Turn
the jack's end bracket to lock it in
place. Replace the cover. Store the
tools.
21. Store the wheel cover or center
cap in the trunk. Make sure it does
not get scratched or damaged.
If Your Engine Won't Start
Diagnosing why your engine won't
start falls into two areas, depending
on what you hear when you turn the
key to START (III):
You hear nothing, or almostnothing. The engine's starter
motor does not operate at all, or operates very slowly.
You can hear the starter motor operating normally, or the starter
motor sounds like it is spinning
faster than normal, but the engine does not start up and run.
Taking Care of the Unexpected Loose items can fly around the
interior in a crash and could
seriously injure the occupants.
Store the wheel, jack and tools
securely before driving.
WING BOLT
SPACER
CONE
Page 306 of 372

If Your Engine Won't Start
Nothing Happens or the Starter Motor Operates Very Slowly
When you turn the ignition switch to START (III), you do not hear the
normal noise of the engine trying tostart. You may hear a clicking sound
or series of clicks, or nothing at all.
Check these things:
Your car has the ImmobilizerSystem. You should use a
properly-coded master or valet key
to start the engine (see page 57).
A key that is not properly coded will cause the immobilizer systemindicator in the dash panel to blink
rapidly. Check the transmission interlock.
If you have a manual transmission,
the clutch pedal must be pushed all the way to the floor or the
starter will not operate. With an
automatic transmission, it must be
in Park or Neutral.
Turn the ignition switch to ON (II).
Turn on the headlights and check their brightness. If the headlightsare very dim or don't light at all,
the battery is discharged. See
Jump Starting on page 304. Turn the ignition switch to START
(III). If the headlights do not dim,
check the condition of the fuses. If
the fuses are OK, there is proba-
bly something wrong with the electrical circuit for the ignitionswitch or starter motor. You will
need a qualified technician to
determine the problem. (See
Emergency Towing on page 320 .)
If the headlights dim noticeably or
go out when you try to start the engine, either the battery is dis-
charged or the connections arecorroded. Check the condition of
the battery and terminal connec-
tions (see page 260). You can
then try jump starting the car from a booster battery (see page 304).
Taking Care of the Unexpected
Page 350 of 372

Index
Accessories and Modifications.... 186 Accessories................................. 186Additional Safety Precaution.... 187 Modifications............................. 187
ACCESSORY (Ignition Key Position)........................................ 74
Accessory Power Socket.............. 106
Additives, Engine Oil..................... 234
Airbag (SRS) ...................................... 9
Air Cleaner Element...................... 253
Air Conditioning............................. 110
Maintenance............................... 265
Usage.......................................... 110
Air Conditioning Filter.................. 266
Air Pressure, Tires........................ 268
Alcohol in Gasoline........................ 331
Antifreeze....................................... 239
Anti-lock Brakes (ABS)
Description................................. 204
Indicator............................... 55, 205
Operation.................................... 204
Anti-theft Steering Column Lock.. 73
Appearance Care........................... 287
Audio System................ 125, 137, 153
Automatic Speed Control................
68
Automatic Transmission............... 196
Capacity, Fluid........................... 326
Checking Fluid Level....... 247, 249
Shifting........................................ 196
Shift Lever Position Indicator.. 197
Shift Lever Positions................. 197
Shift Lock Release..................... 200
Battery Charging System Light...... 54, 310
Jump Starting............................. 304
Maintenance............................... 260
Specifications............................. 329
Before Driving............................... 177
Belts, Seat........................................... 8
Beverage Holder............................ 104
Body Repair.................................... 296
Brakes Anti-lock System (ABS)............ 204Break-in, New Linings .............. 178
Bulb Replacement..................... 281
Fluid............................................ 251
Parking........................................ 101
System Indicator.......................... 55
Wear Indicators......................... 203
Braking System.............................. 203
Break-in, New Car......................... 178 Brightness Control, Instruments... 63
Brights, Headlights......................... 62
Bulb Replacement Back-up Lights........................... 281
Brake Lights............................... 281Ceiling Light............................... 282
Courtesy Light........................... 283
Front Parking Lights................. 278
Front Side Marker Lights......... 277
Headlights.................................. 276
High-mount Brake Light.......... 281
License Plate Lights.................. 281
Specifications............................. 327
Spotlight...................................... 283
Trunk Light................................ 284
Turn Signal Lights..................... 277
Bulbs, Halogen............................... 276
CONTINUED