Page 211 of 372
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
Page 214 of 372
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
Page 219 of 372

Towing a Trailer
Driving Safely With a Trailer
The added weight, length, and height of a trailer will affect your
vehicle's handling and performance, so driving with a trailer requiressome special driving skills and
techniques.
For your safety and the safety ofothers, take time to practice driving
maneuvers before heading for theopen road, and follow the guidelines
discussed below.
Towing Speeds and Gears
Drive slower than normal in all
driving situations, and obey posted
speed limits for vehicles with trailers.
If you have an automatic
transmission, use D4 position when
towing a trailer on level roads. D3 is
the proper shift lever position to use
when towing a trailer in hilly terrain. (See "Driving on Hills" in the next
column for additional gear
information.)
Making Turns and Braking
Make turns more slowly and wider
than normal. The trailer tracks a smaller arc than your vehicle, and it
can hit or run over something the
vehicle misses. Allow more time and distance for braking. Do not brake or
turn suddenly as this could cause the
trailer to jackknife or turn over.
Driving on Hills
When climbing hills, closely watch your temperature gauge. If it nearsthe red (Hot) mark, turn the airconditioning off, reduce speed and, if
necessary, pull to the side of the
road to let the engine cool.
If the automatic transmission shifts
frequently between 3rd and 4th
gears while going up a hill, shift to
D3.
If you must stop when facing uphill,
use the foot brake or parking brake.
Do not try to hold the vehicle in
place by pressing on the accelerator, as this can cause the automatic
transmission to overheat.
When driving down hills, reduce your speed and shift down to 2nd
gear. Do not "ride" the brakes, andremember it will take longer to slowdown and stop when towing a trailer.
Driving
Page 222 of 372

Maintenance
This section explains why it is important to keep your car well
maintained and to follow basic
maintenance safety precautions.
This section also includes Maintenance Schedules for normaldriving and severe driving conditions,
a Maintenance Record, and instruc-
tions for simple maintenance tasks
you may want to take care of
yourself.
If you have the skills and tools to per-
form more complex maintenance
tasks on your Honda, you may want
to purchase the Service Manual. See page 345 for information on how toobtain a copy, or see your Honda
dealer.
Maintenance Safety....................... 220
Important Safety Precautions ..221
Maintenance Schedule.................. 222
Maintenance Record..................... 229
Owner Maintenance Checks........ 231
Fluid Locations............................... 232
Engine Oil....................................... 234
Adding Oil................................... 234Recommended Oil..................... 235
Synthetic Oil............................... 235
Additives..................................... 235
Changing the Oil and Filter...... 236
Cooling System.............................. 239
Adding Engine Coolant............. 239Replacing Engine Coolant........ 241
Windshield Washers..................... 246
Transmission Fluid........................ 247
Automatic
Transmission.......................... 247
5-speed Manual
Transmission.......................... 249
Brake and Clutch Fluid................. 251
Brake System............................. 251
Clutch System............................ 252
Power Steering............................... 252
Air Cleaner Element...................... 253
Hood Latch..................................... 256
Spark Plugs..................................... 256
Replacement............................... 256
Specifications............................. 257
Battery............................................ 260
Wiper Blades.................................. 263
Air Conditioning System............... 265
Air Conditioning Filter.................. 266 Drive Belts...................................... 266
Timing Belt..................................... 267
Tires................................................ 267
Inflation...................................... 268
Inspection................................... 270
Maintenance............................... 270
Tire Rotation.............................. 271 Replacing Tires and Wheels .... 271
Wheels and Tires....................... 272 Winter Driving........................... 273
Snow Tires.............................. 273
Tire Chains............................. 273
Lights.............................................. 274 Replacing Bulbs......................... 276
Storing Your Car............................ 285
Maintenance
Page 224 of 372

Maintenance Safety
Important Safety Precautions Before you begin any maintenance,
make sure your car is parked on
level ground and that the parking
brake is set. Also, be sure the engine is off. This will help to eliminateseveral potential hazards:
Carbon monoxide poisoning
from engine exhaust. Be sure there is adequate ventilation
whenever you operate the engine.
Burns from hot parts. Let the
engine and exhaust system cool
before touching any parts.
Injury from moving parts. Do
not run the engine unless in-
structed to do so. Read the instructions before you
begin, and make sure you have the
tools and skills required.
To reduce the possibility of fire or explosion, be careful when working
around gasoline or batteries. Use a
commercially available degreaser or
parts cleaner, not gasoline, to clean
parts. Keep cigarettes, sparks, and
flames away from the battery and all
fuel-related parts.
You should wear eye protection and protective clothing when working
near the battery or when using
compressed air.
Maintenance
Page 225 of 372

Maintenance Schedule
The Maintenance Schedule specifies how often you should have your carserviced and what things need
attention. It is essential that you have
your car serviced as scheduled to retain its high level of safety,dependability, and emissions control
performance.
The services and time or distance
intervals shown in the maintenanceschedule assume you will use your
vehicle as normal transportation for passengers and their possessions.
You should also follow these
recommendations:
Avoid exceeding your car's loadlimit. This puts excess stress onthe engine, brakes, and many
other parts of your car. The load
limit is shown on the label on thedriver's doorjamb.
Operate your car on reasonableroads within the legal speed limit.
Drive your car regularly over a
distance of several miles (kilometers).
Always use unleaded gasoline with the proper octane rating (see page
178). Which Schedule to Follow:
Service your car according to the
time and mileage periods on one of the Maintenance Schedules on the
following pages. Select the schedule for "Severe Conditions" if most of
your driving is done under one or more of the conditions listed on that
page. Otherwise, follow the schedule
for "Normal Conditions."
Maintenance
Page 228 of 372
Service at the indicated distance or time, whichever comes first. Do the items in A, B, C as required for each distance/time interval. Follow this
schedule if the severe driving conditions described in the Severe Conditions Schedule on the next page do not apply.
Canadian owners: Follow the schedule for Severe Conditions.
Maintenance
# : See information on maintenance and emissions warranty, last
column, page 223.
* 1 : Balancer belt applies to 4-cylinder models only.
NOTE:
Check engine oil and coolant at each fuel stop.
Check and adjust valve clearance, cold engine, only if noisy.
page 271
Page 231 of 372
Maintenance
# : See information on maintenance and emissions warranty, last
column, page 223.
* 1 : See timing belt on page 267 to determine need for replacement.
* 2 : Balancer belt applies to 4-cylinder models only.
* 3 : See air conditioning filter on page 266 for replacement information
under special driving conditions.
NOTE:
Check engine oil and coolant at each fuel stop.
Check and adjust valve clearance, cold engine, only if noisy.