Page 117 of 372

Heating and Cooling
To Cool with A/C
1. Turn on the A/C by pressing the button. The light above the buttonshould come on when a fan speed
is selected.
2. Make sure the temperature control dial is set to maximum cool. 3. Select
4. If the outside air is humid, select Recirculation mode. If the outside
air is dry, select Fresh Air mode.
5. Set the fan to the desired speed.
If the interior is very warm from
being parked in the sun, you can cool it down more rapidly by setting up
the controls this way:
1. Start the engine.
2. Turn on the A/C by pressing the button. Make sure the tempera-ture control dial is set to maximum
cool.
3. Set the fan to maximum speed.
4. Open the windows partially. Select and Fresh Air mode. When the interior has cooled down
to a more comfortable temperature,close the windows and set the
controls as described for normal
cooling.
Air conditioning places an extra load
on the engine. Watch the engine
coolant temperature gauge (see page 58) when driving in stop-and-go
traffic or climbing a long, steep hill. If it moves near the red zone, turn
off the A/C until the gauge reads
normally.
Comfort and Convenience Features
FAN CONTROL DIAL
MODE BUTTONS
TEMPERATURE
CONTROL DIAL
AIR CONDITIONING BUTTON
RECIRCULATION BUTTON
Page 118 of 372

Heating and Cooling
To Heat
To warm the interior:
1. Start the engine. 2. Select and Fresh Air mode.
3. Set the fan to the desired speed.
4. Adjust the warmth of the air with the temperature control dial.
To Heat and Dehumidify with Air
Conditioning
Air conditioning, as it cools, removes moisture from the air. When used in
combination with the heater, it
makes the interior warm and dry.
1. Switch the fan on. 2. Turn on the air conditioning. 3. Select and Fresh Air mode.
4 . Adjust the temperature control
dial so the mixture of heated and
cooled air feels comfortable.
This setting is suitable for all driving conditions whenever the outside
temperature is above 32°F (0°C).
To Defog and Defrost
To remove fog from the inside of the
windows:
1. Switch the fan on. 2. Select
When you select the
system automatically switches to
Fresh Air mode and turns on the
A/C.
3. Adjust the temperature control dial so the air flow from the
defroster vents feels warm.
4. Turn on the rear window defogger to help clear the rear window.
When you switch to another mode from the A/C stays on.
Press the A/C button to turn it off.
CONTINUED
Comfort and Convenience Features
Page 119 of 372

Heating and Cooling
To remove exterior frost or ice from the windshield and side windowsafter the car has been sitting out in
cold weather:
1. Start the engine. 2. Select
When you select the
system automatically switches to
Fresh Air mode and turns on the
A/C.
3. Switch the fan and temperature controls to maximum.
To rapidly remove exterior frost or ice from the windshield (on very colddays), first select the Recirculation
mode. Once the windshield is clear,select the Fresh Air mode to avoid
fogging the windows. These settings direct all the air flow
to the defroster vents at the base of
the windshield and the side windowdefroster vents. The air flow will get
warmer and clear the windows faster as the engine warms up. You can
close the side vents with the dial
underneath each vent. This will send more warm air to the windshielddefroster vents.
For safety, make sure you have a
clear view through all the windows
before driving away. To Turn Everything Off
To shut off the system temporarily,turn the fan speed and temperaturecontrol dials all the way to the left.
You should shut the system completely off only for the first few
minutes of driving in cold weather,
until the engine coolant warms upenough to operate the heater. Keep
the fan on at all other times so stale
air does not build up in the interior.
Comfort and Convenience Features
Page 120 of 372

Climate Control System
Only on EX-V6 model
The automatic climate control system in your Honda picks the
proper combination of air condi-
tioning, heating, and ventilation to maintain the interior temperature
you select. The system also adjusts the fan speed and air flow levels.
The direction of air flow from the vents in the center and each side ofthe dashboard is adjustable.
The climate control system draws air through the exterior vents at the
bottom of the windshield. Keep
these vents clear of leaves and other debris.
For the climate control system to
provide heating and cooling, the
engine must be running. CENTER VENTS
To adjust the air flow from the center vent, move the tab up-and-down and side-to-side. DRIVER'S-SIDE VENT
On the driver's-side vent, move the
vent up-and-down and move the tab side-to-side. On the passenger's-side
vent, move the tab up-and-down and move the vent side-to-side.
The side vents can be opened and closed with the dials underneath
them.
CONTINUED
Comfort and Convenience Features
Page 122 of 372

Climate Control System
Fully-automatic Operation
To put the Automatic Climate Control in fully-automatic mode,
press the AUTO button and set the
fan control dial to AUTO, then set
the desired temperature by turning
the temperature control dial. You will see FULL AUTO in the system's
display. The light above the button also shows you which
mode, Recirculation or Fresh Air, is
selected.
The system automatically selects the proper mix of conditioned and/or
heated air that will, as quickly aspossible, raise or lower the interior
temperature from its current level to
the set temperature.
When you set the temperature to its lower limit (60°F/18°C) or its upper
limit (90°F/32°C), the system runs at full cooling or heating only. It does
not regulate the interior temperature.
When the temperature is set
TEMPERATURE
CONTROL DIAL
FULL AUTO
DISPLAY
FAN CONTROL DIAL
AUTO BUTTON OFF BUTTON
between the lower and upper limits,
the system regulates the interior
temperature to the set value. In cold weather, the fan will not
come on automatically until the car
has been driven for a short time and
the heater starts to develop warm air. Pressing the OFF button shuts the
climate control system completely
off. Keep the system completely off
only for short periods. To keep stale
air and mustiness from collecting,
you should have the fan running at all times.
Comfort and Convenience Features
Page 198 of 372

5-speed Manual Transmission
The manual transmission is syn- chronized in all forward gears for
smooth operation. It has a lockout so
you cannot shift directly from Fifth to Reverse. When shifting up or down, make sure you push the clutch
pedal down all the way, shift to the
next gear, and let the pedal up
gradually. When you are not shifting, do not rest your foot on the clutch
pedal. This can cause your clutch to
wear out faster. Come to a full stop before you shift
into Reverse. You can damage the
transmission by trying to shift into Reverse with the car moving. Push
down the clutch pedal, and pause fora few seconds before shifting into
Reverse, or shift into one of the
forward gears for a moment. This stops the gears so they won't "grind."
When slowing down, you can get extra braking from the engine byshifting to a lower gear. This extra
braking can help you maintain a safe speed and prevent your brakes from
overheating while going down a
steep hill. Before downshifting,
make sure engine speed will not go into the tachometer's red zone in the
lower gear.
Driving
Rapid slowing or speeding-up
can cause loss of control on
slippery surfaces. If you crash,
you can be injured.
Use extra care when driving on
slippery surfaces.
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 310 of 372

If Your Engine Overheats
The pointer of your car's tempera- ture gauge should stay in the mid-range under most conditions. It may
go higher if you are driving up a long steep hill on a very hot day. If it
climbs to the red mark, you should
determine the reason.
Driving with the temperature gauge
pointer at the red mark can cause serious damage to your engine.
Your car can overheat for several
reasons, such as lack of coolant or a
mechanical problem. The only
indication may be the temperature
gauge climbing to or above the red mark. Or you may see steam or
spray coming from under the hood.
In either case, you should take
immediate action.
1. Safely pull to the side of the road.
Put the transmission in Neutral or
Park and set the parking brake.
Turn off the heating and cooling system and all other accessories.
Turn on the hazard warning indicators.
2. If you see steam and/or spray coming from under the hood, turn
off the engine.
3. If you do not see steam or spray, leave the engine running and
watch the temperature gauge. If the high heat is due to overloading (climbing a long, steep hill on a
hot day with the A/C running, for example), the engine should start
to cool down almost immediately.
If it does, wait until the tempera-
ture gauge comes down to the mid-
point then continue driving.
CONTINUED
Taking Care of the Unexpected
Steam and spray from an
overheated engine can
seriously scald you.
Do not open the hood if steam
is coming out.
NOTICE