Break-in Period, Gasoline, Service Station Procedures
Break-in Period
Help assure your car's future
reliability and performance by paying
extra attention to how you drive
during the first 600 miles (1,000 km).
During this period: Avoid full-throttle starts and rapid
acceleration.
Avoid hard braking. New brakes
need to be broken-in by moderate
use for the first 200 miles (300
km).
Do not change the oil until the
recommended time or mileage
interval shown in the maintenance
schedule.
You should follow these same re-
commendations with an overhauled
or exchanged engine, or when the
brakes are relined.
Gasoline
Your Honda is designed to operate on unleaded gasoline with a pump
octane number of 86 or higher. Useof a lower octane gasoline can cause
a persistent, heavy metallic rapping
noise in the engine that can lead to
mechanical damage.
We recommend gasolines containing detergent additives that help prevent
fuel system and engine deposits. Using gasoline containing lead willdamage your car's emissions
controls. This contributes to air
pollution.
In Canada, some gasolines contain
an octane-enhancing additive called
MMT. If you use such gasolines,
your emission control system performance may deteriorate and
the Malfunction Indicator Lamp on
your instrument panel may turn on.If this happens, contact your
authorized Honda dealer for service. Filling the Fuel Tank
1. Because the fuel fill cap is on the driver's side of the car, park with
that side closest to the service
station pumps.
2. Open the fuel fill door by pushing on the handle to the left of the
driver's seat.
Before Driving
Service Station Procedures
3. Remove the fuel fill cap slowly. You may hear a hissing sound as
pressure inside the tank escapes.
Place the cap in the holder on the
fuel fill door.
4. Stop filling the tank after the fuel nozzle automatically clicks off. Do
not try to "top off" the tank, leave
some room for the fuel to expand
with temperature changes.
Your car has an on-board refueling
vapor recovery system to help keep fuel vapors from going into
the atmosphere. If the fuel pump
keeps clicking off even though the
tank is not full, there may be a
problem with this system. Consult
your dealer. 5. Screw the fuel fill cap back on,
tighten it until it clicks several
times. If you do not properly
tighten the cap, the Malfunction
Indicator Lamp may come on (see
page 311).
6. Push the fuel fill door closed until it latches.
Before Driving
FUEL FILL CAP
Gasoline is highly flammable
and explosive. You can be
burned or seriously injured
when handling fuel.
Stop the engine and keep
heat, sparks, and flame away.
Handle fuel only outdoors.
Wipe up spills immediately.
The Braking System
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 acorner 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 vehicle with ABS may require a
longer distance to stop on loose oruneven surfaces, such as gravel orsnow, than a vehicle without anti-
lock. Slow down and allow a greater distance between vehicles under
those conditions.
ABS Indicator
The ABS is self-checking. If anything
goes wrong, the ABS indicator on
the instrument panel comes on (seepage 55 ). This means the anti-lock
function of the braking system has shut down. The brakes still work like
a conventional system without anti-
lock, providing normal stopping ability. You should have the dealer
inspect your car as soon as possible.
Driving
*U.S. indicator shown
ABS INDICATOR*
Towing a Trailer
To achieve a proper tongue load, start by loading 60 percent of the
load toward the front of the trailer and 40 percent toward the rear, then
re-adjust the load as needed.
Gross Vehicle Weight Rating
(GVWR):
The total weight of the vehicle, all occupants, all cargo, and the
tongue load must not exceed:
4-cylinder models:
(DX, LX)
4,035 Ibs (1,830 kg)
(EX)
4,080 Ibs (1,850 kg)
6-cylinder models:
4,255 Ibs (1,930 kg)
Gross Axle Weight Rating
(GAWR):
The total weight of the vehicle, all occupants, all cargo, and the
tongue load must not exceed:
4-cylinder models:
(DX, LX) 2,180 Ibs (990 kg)
on the front axle1,920 Ibs (870 kg)
on the rear axle
(EX)
2,205 Ibs (1000 kg)on the front axle 1,940 Ibs (880 kg)
on the rear axle
6-cylinder models: 2,315 Ibs (1,050 kg)
on the front axle1,960 Ibs (890
kg)
on the rear axle
Checking Loads
The best way to confirm that vehicle and trailer weights are within limits
is to have them checked at a public
scale.
Using a suitable scale or a special
tongue load gauge, check the tongue
load the first time you set up a towing combination (a fully-loaded
vehicle and trailer), then recheck the
tongue load whenever the conditions
change.
Driving
Exceeding load limits or
improperly loading your vehicle
and trailer can cause a crash in
which you can be seriously injured or killed.
Check the loading of your
vehicle and trailer carefully before starting to drive.
Engine Oil
Changing the Oil and Filter
Always change the oil and filter according to the time and distance (miles/kilometers) recommenda-
tions in the maintenance schedule.
The oil and filter collect contami- nants that can damage your engine if
they are not removed regularly. Changing the oil and filter requires
special tools and access from
underneath the car. The car should
be raised on a service station-type
hydraulic lift for this service. Unless
you have the knowledge and proper equipment, you should have this
maintenance done by a skilled
mechanic. 1. Run the engine until it reaches
normal operating temperature,
then shut it off.
Maintenance
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 235).
Wash and dry the exterior completely.
Clean the interior. Make sure the
carpeting, floor mats, etc. are
completely dry.
Leave the parking brake off. Put
the transmission in Reverse (5-speed manual) or Park
(automatic).
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 224). The replacements called
for in the maintenance schedule are not needed unless the car hasactually reached that time or mileage.
Maintenance
Index
Capacities Chart............................. 326
Carbon Monoxide Hazard.............. 49
Carrying Cargo.............................. 188
Cassette Player
Care.............................................151
Operation........................... 130, 148
CAUTION, Explanation of............... ii
CD Changer.......................... 133, 165
CD Player........................................ 142
Certification Label......................... 324
Chains............................................. 273
Changing a Flat Tire ..................... 297 Changing Engine Coolant.............
241
Changing Oil
How to......................................... 235
When to....................................... 224
Charging System Indicator .... 54, 310
Checklist, Before Driving............. 192 Childproof Door Locks................... 79
Child Seats........................................ 27 Tether Anchorage Points........... 38
Cleaner, Air.................................... 253
Cleaning
Aluminum Wheels..................... 289 Carpeting.................................... 290
Exterior....................................... 288
Fabric.......................................... 291
Interior........................................ 290
Seat Belts.................................... 292
Vinyl............................................ 291 Window....................................... 292
Climate Control System................ 117
Clock, Setting the .......................... 102
Clutch Fluid.................................... 252
CO in the Exhaust......................... 333
Coin Box......................................... 103
Cold Weather, Starting in............. 194
Compact Spare............................... 296
Console Compartment.................. 103
Consumer Information*................ 340
Controls, Instruments and..............
51
Coolant
Adding......................................... 239Checking..................................... 184
Proper Solution.......................... 239
Temperature Gauge.................... 59
Corrosion Protection..................... 293
Crankcase Emissions Control System......................................... 333
Cruise Control Operation............... 68
Customer Relations Office........... 340
DANGER, Explanation of................. ii Dashboard........................................ 52
Daytime Running Lights................. 63
Defects, Reporting Safety............. 344 Defogger, Rear Window................. 64
Dimensions..................................... 328
Dimming the Headlights................ 62
Dipstick Automatic Transmission . 247, 248
Engine Oil................................... 182
Directional Signals........................... 64
Disc Brake Wear Indicators......... 203
Disposal of Used Oil...................... 238 Doors Locking and Unlocking............... 74
Power Door Locks....................... 75
DOT Tire Quality Grading........... 329
Downshifting, 5-speed Manual Transmission.............................. 195
Drive Belts...................................... 266
Driver and Passenger Safety............ 5
Index
Setting the Clock........................... 101 The 5-speed Manual Transmission.......................... 195
Shift Lever Position Indicator...... 197
Shift Lock Release......................... 200
Side Airbags..................................... 45
How Your Side Airbags Work.... 45
How The Side Airbag IndicatorLight Works............................. 46
Side Marker Lights, Bulb Replacement............................... 279
Signaling Turns................................ 64
Snow Tires...................................... 273
Solvent-type Cleaners.................... 288
Sound System........................ 125, 153
Spare Tire
Inflating....................................... 297
Specifications............................. 330
Spark Plugs, Replacing........ 256, 258
Specifications Charts..................... 328
Speed Control...................................
68
Speed Limiter........................ 196, 200
Speedometer....................................
58
SRS, Additional Information........... 43
Additional Safety Precautions.... 23How Your Airbags Work..... 43, 45
How Your SRS Indicator
Works........................................43
SRS Components......................... 43
SRS Service................................... 48
SRS Indicator............................. 43, 55
START (Ignition Key Position) ..... 74
Starting the Engine........................
193
In Cold Weather at High
Altitude...................................
194
With a Dead Battery................. 306
Steam Coming from Engine......... 308
Steering Wheel Adjustment................................... 67
Anti-theft Column Lock.............. 73
Stereo Sound System........... 125,
153
Storing Your Car.............................
287
Sun Visor......................................... 105
Sunglasses Holder......................... 106
Supplemental Restraint System Servicing....................................... 48
SRS Indicator......................... 43, 55
System Components.................... 43
Synthetic Oil................................... 235 Tachometer...................................... 58
Taillights, Changing Bulbs in....... 281
Taking Care of the Unexpected .. 295
Tape Player ........................... 130, 160
Technical Descriptions DOT Tire Quality Grading....... 329
Emissions Control Systems...... 332
Oxygenated Fuels...................... 331
Three Way Catalytic Converter................................ 335
Temperature Gauge........................ 59
Tether Attachment Points.............. 37
Three Way Catalytic Converter... 335 Time, Setting the...........................
101
Timing Belt..................................... 267
Tire Chains..................................... 273
Tire, How to Change a Flat.......... 297
CONTINUED