This section covers the more-
common problems that motorists
experience with their vehicles. It
gives you inf ormation about how to
safely evaluate the problem and what
to do to correct it. If the problem has
stranded you on the side of the road,
you may be able to get going again.
If not, you will also f ind instructions
on getting your vehicle towed.......................
Compact Spare Tire . 302
....................
Changing a Flat Tire . 303
..........
If Your Engine Won’t Start . 312
Nothing Happens or theStarter Motor Operates ........................
Very Slowly . 312
The Starter Operates ................................
Normally . 313
................................
Jump Starting . 313
............
If Your Engine Overheats . 315
.........
Low Oil Pressure Indicator . 318
..........
Charging System Indicator . 319
.......
Malf unction Indicator Lamp . 320
.......................
Readiness Codes . 321
...............
Brake System Indicator . 322
..............................................
Fuses . 323
..........
Checking and Replacing . 324
......................
Emergency Towing . 329
Taking Care of the Unexpected
T aking Care of t he Unexpect ed 301
Diagnosing why your engine won’t
start f alls into two areas, depending
on what you hear when you turn the
key to START (III):You hear nothing, or almost
nothing. 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
f aster than normal, but the engine
does not start up and run. If the headlights dim noticeably or
go out when you try to start the
engine, either the battery is dis-
charged or the connections are
corroded. Check the condition of
the battery and terminal connec-
tions (see page ). You can
then try jump starting the vehicle
f rom a booster battery (see page
).
Check the transmission interlock.
The transmission must be in Park
orNeutralorthestarterwillnot
operate.
Turn the ignition switch to ON (II).
Turn on the headlights and check
their brightness. If the headlights
are very dim or don’t light at all,
the battery is discharged. See
on page .
When you turn the ignition switch to
START (III), you do not hear the
normal noise of the engine trying to
start. You may hear a clicking sound
or series of clicks, or nothing at all.
Check these things: Your vehicle has the Immobilizer
System. You should use a
properly-coded master or valet key
to start the engine (see page ).
A key that is not properly coded
will cause the immobilizer system
indicator in the dash panel to blink
rapidly.
Turn the ignition switch to START
(III). If the headlights do not dim,
check the condition of the f uses. If
thefusesareOK,thereisproba-
bly something wrong with the
electrical circuit f or the ignition
switch or starter motor. You will
need a qualif ied technician to
determine the problem. (See
on page .)
81
313 313267329
Jump Starting
Nothing Happens or the Starter
Motor Operates Very Slowly Emergency T owing
T aking Care of t he Unexpect ed
If Your Engine Won’t Start
312
To jump start your vehicle, f ollow
these directions closely:
If your vehicle’s battery has run
down, you may be able to start the
engine by using a booster battery.
Although this seems like a simple
procedure, you should take several
precautions.
Put the transmission in Neutral or
Park and set the parking brake.
In this case, the starter motor’s
speed sounds normal, or even f aster
than normal, when you turn the
ignition switch to START (III), but
the engine does not run.
Open the hood and check the
physical condition of the battery
(see page ). In very cold
weather, check the condition of
the electrolyte. If it seems slushy
or like ice, do not try jump starting
until it thaws.
You cannot start a Honda by pushing
or pulling it.
Are you using the proper starting
procedure? Ref er to
on page .
Do you have f uel? Turn the
ignition switch to ON (II) for a
minute and watch the f uel gauge.
The low f uel level warning light
may not be working, so you were
not reminded to f ill the tank.
There may be an electrical
problem, such as no power to the
f uel pump. Check all the f uses
(see page ). Turn of f all the electrical acces-
sories: heater, A/C, climate
control, stereo system, lights, etc.
If youfindnothingwrong,youwill
need a qualif ied technician to f ind
the problem. See on page . 1. 2.
211
323 329 267
CONT INUED
T he Starter Operates Normally Jump Starting
Starting the
Engine
Emergency
Towing
If Your Engine Won’t Start, Jump Starting
T aking Care of t he Unexpect ed 313
A battery can explode if you do
not follow the correct procedure,
seriously injuring anyonenearby.
Keep all sparks, open flames,
and smoking materials away
from the battery.
If a battery sits in extreme cold, the
electrolyte inside can f reeze.
Attempting to jump start with a f rozen
battery can cause it to rupture.
µ
´
´
If the booster battery is in another
vehicle, have an assistant start
that vehicle and run it at a fast idle. Start your vehicle. If the starter
motor still operates slowly, check
the jumper cable connections to
make sure they have good metal-
to-metal contact.
Connect the second jumper cable
to the negative ( ) terminal on
the booster battery. Connect the
other end to the grounding strap
as shown. Do not connect this
jumper cable to any other part of
the engine.
Connect one jumper cable to the
positive ( ) terminal on your
Honda’s battery. Connect the
other end to the positive ( )
terminal on the booster battery.
5.
3.
4.6.
T aking Care of t he Unexpect ed
Jump Starting
314
BBOOOOSSTTEERRBBAATTTTEERRYY
Once your vehicle is running,
disconnect the negative cable f rom
your vehicle, then f rom the
booster battery. Disconnect the
positive cable f rom your vehicle,
then the booster battery.The pointer of your vehicle’s
temperature gauge should stay in
the midrange under most conditions.
Itmaygohigherif youaredrivingup
a long steep hill on a very hot day. If
it climbs to the red mark, you should
determine the reason. Your vehicle 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 f rom under the hood.
In either case, you should take
immediate action.
Keep the ends of the jumper cables
away from each other and any metal
on the vehicle until all are
disconnected. Otherwise, you may
cause an electrical short.
7.
CONT INUED
Jump Starting, If Your Engine Overheats
If Your Engine Overheats
T aking Care of t he Unexpect ed315
Steam and spray from an
overheated engine can
seriously scald you.
Do not open the hood if steam
is coming out.
Driving with the temperature gauge
pointer at the red mark can cause
serious damage to your engine.
CONT INUED
...
Accessories and Modif ications . 203
................................
Accessories . 203
...
Additional Safety Precaution . 204
............................
Modif ications . 204
ACCESSORY (Ignition Key .......................................
Position) . 83
............
Accessory Power Sockets . 130
....................
Additives, Engine Oil . 251
...............................
Airbag (SRS) . 9, 53
.....................
Air Cleaner Element . 262
.................
Air Conditioning Filter . 272
......
Air Conditioning System . 136, 144
..............................
Maintenance . 271
.....................
Rear A/C Control . 158
.................................
Usage . 136, 144
...............
Air Outlets (Vents) . 138, 144
.......................
Air Pressure, Tires . 273
.......................
Alcohol in Gasoline . 338
.......
Aluminum Wheels, Cleaning . 295
......................................
Antif reeze . 253
Anti-lock Brakes (ABS)
...............................
Indicator . 63, 220
...................................
Operation . 219
..............
Anti-thef t, Audio System . 192 .
Anti-thef t Steering Column Lock . 82
..........................
Appearance Care . 293
........................................
Armrests . 109
...............
Audio Controls, Remote . 191
........................
Audio System . 161, 173
...
Automatic Seat Belt Tensioners . 54
...
Automatic Lighting Off Feature . 71
...............
Automatic Speed Control . 77
..............
Automatic Transmission . 212
..........................
Capacity,Fluid .334
...............
Checking Fluid Level . 259
.......................................
Shif ting . 213
.
Shif t Lever Position Indicator . 212
................
Shif t Lever Positions . 213
....................
Shif t Lock Release . 216
Battery Charging System ...........................
Indicator . 62, 319
............................
Jump Starting . 313
..............................
Maintenance . 267
............................
Specif ications . 335
..............................
Bef ore Driving . 195
....................................
Belts,Seat .8,49 ...........................
Beverage Holder . 124
...................................
Body Repair . 300
Brakes
...........
Anti-lock System (ABS) . 219
.............
Break-in, New Linings . 196
....................
Bulb Replacement . 284
...........................................
Fluid . 260
.......................................
Parking . 122
.................
System Indicator . 62, 322
........................
Wear Indicators . 218
.............................
Braking System . 218
.................
Break-in, New Vehicle . 196
..
Brightness Control, Instruments . 71
........................
Brights, Headlights . 70
Bulb Replacement
..........................
Back-up Lights . 285
..............................
Brake Lights . 284
......................
Cargo Area Light . 288
................
Front Parking Lights . 283
........
Front Side Marker Lights . 283
.................................
Headlights . 282
.........
High-mount Brake Light . 286
..............
Individual Map Lights . 288
...................
License Plate Light . 287
Index
A
B I
CONT INUED
Dipstick..........
Automatic Transmission . 259
..................................
Engine Oil . 200
..........................
Directional Signals . 72
........
Disc Brake Wear Indicators . 218
.....................
Disposal of Used Oil . 252
Doors
..............
Locking and Unlocking . 83
....................
Lockout Prevention . 84
.................
Manual Sliding Doors . 92
..............................
Monitor Light . 64
......................
Power Door Locks . 83
...................
Power Sliding Doors . 94
..........
DOT Tire Quality Grading . 336
.....................................
Drive Belts . 272
...........
Driver and Passenger Safety . 5
...........................................
Driving . 209
....................................
Economy . 202
.........................
In Bad Weather . 224
................
In Foreign Countries . 339 ............................
Fabric, Cleaning . 297
..........................
Fan, Interior . 136, 148
Features, Comfort and
..............................
Convenience . 135
....................
Filling the Fuel Tank . 197
Filters
...............................................
Air . 262
.......................
Air Conditioning . 272
...............................................
Oil . 251
.............
Flashers, Hazard Warning . 75
...................
Flat Tire, Changing a . 303
.......................................
Floor Mat . 296
Fluids
..........
Automatic Transmission . 259
..........................................
Brake . 260
..........................
Power Steering . 261
..............................
Economy, Fuel . 202
............
Emergencies on the Road . 301
.............
Battery, Jump Starting . 313 Emergencies on the Road
...........
Brake System Indicator . 322
................
Changing a Flat Tire . 303
.....
Charging System Indicator . 319
..................
Checking the Fuses . 323
.....
Low Oil Pressure Indicator . 318
...
Malf unction Indicator Lamp . 320
..................
Overheated Engine . 315
.........................
Emergency Brake . 122
......................
Emergency Flashers . 75
......................
Emergency Towing . 329
.......................
Emissions Controls . 340
.............
Emissions Testing, State . 343Engine
....
Coolant Temperature Gauge . 67
.................................
Drive Belts . 272
Malf unction Indicator
................................
Lamp . 62, 320
........
Oil Pressure Indicator . 62, 318
..............
Oil, What Kind to Use . 249
...............................
Overheating . 315
............................
Specif ications . 335
.......................................
Starting . 211
......................
Ethanol in Gasoline . 338
.
Evaporative Emissions Controls . 340
...............................
Exhaust Fumes . 57 Exhaust Gas Recirculation
........................................
System . 341
Expectant Mothers, Use of Seat ........................................
Belts by . 20
..................
Exterior,Cleaningthe .294
Index
E F
III
CONT INUED
......................................
Inf ant Seats . 28
..........
Tether Anchorage Points . 45
...................
Inf lation, Proper Tire . 273
.................................
Inside Mirror . 121
.............................
Inspection, Tire . 275
........................
Instrument Panel . 2, 60
........
Instrument Panel Brightness . 71
...........................
Interior Cleaning . 296
...............................
Interior Lights . 131
........................................
Introduction . i
.................
Jacking up the Vehicle . 306
.......................................
Jack, Tire . 304
................................
Jump Starting . 313
..................................................
Keys . 80
.......................
Label, Certif ication . 332
.................
Lane Change, Signaling . 72
..................
Lap/Shoulder Belts . 15, 49 ....................
Light Control Switch . 131
Lights
....................
Bulb Replacement . 282
.......................................
Indicator . 61
.......................................
Interior . 131
.........................................
Parking . 70
..................................
Turn Signal . 72
............................
Load Limits . 206, 226
......
LOCK (Ignition Key Position) . 82
Locks
.......
Anti-thef t Steering Column . 82
............................
Fuel Fill Door . 197
....................................
Glove Box . 91
....................
Lockout Prevention . 84
.................................
Power Door . 83
...............................
Sliding Doors . 92
........................................
Tailgate . 89
........................
Low Coolant Level . 201
.........................
Low Fuel Indicator . 65
...
Low Oil Pressure Indicator . 62, 318
...
Lubricant Specif ications Chart . 334
.........................................
Luggage . 205 ..................................
Maintenance . 235
...
Owner Maintenance Checks . 247
.................................
Record . 245-246
......................
Required Indicator . 68
..........................................
Saf ety . 236
.............................
Schedule . 240-244
.
Malf unction Indicator Lamp . 62, 320
.....................
Manual Sliding Doors . 92
...............................
Meters, Gauges . 66
...................
Methanol in Gasoline . 338
........................
Mirrors, Adjusting . 121
Moving the Second Row Bucket
.............................................
Seat . 112
...................
Neutral Gear Position . 214
..................
New Vehicle Break-in . 196
...................
NOTICE, Explanation of . i
...............
Numbers, Identif ication . 332
Index
J K L M N
V