
parkin
g brak e first , the n plac e th e
transmissio n i n "P " (Park )
position , eve n o n leve l surfaces .
Whe n parkin g a vehicl e equippe d
wit h a manua l transmissio n o n a n
upwar d slop e o r o n a leve l
surface , plac e th e shif t leve r i n th e
"1 " (firs t gear ) position .
Whe n parkin g a vehicl e equippe d
wit h a manua l transmissio n o n a
downwar d slope , plac e th e shif t
leve r i n th e "R " (Reverse )
position .
Accelerato
r Peda l
Th e accelerato r peda l i s use d t o
var y engin e powe r an d thu s
regulat e engin e an d vehicl e speed .
Clutc
h Peda l
Manual Transmission
Th e clutc h peda l i s use d to engag e
o r disengag e th e clutch , thereb y
connectin g o r disconnectin g th e
engin e fro m th e manua l
transmissio n an d drivelin e to th e
drivin g wheels .
Whe n th e peda l i s full y released ,
th e clutc h is engaged , drivin g th e
transmissio n an d th e driv e wheels .
D o no t allo w you r foo t t o res t o n
th e clutc h peda l whe n no t usin g
th e clutch .
Instrument s an d Control s
ACCELERATO
R
PEDA L
CLUTCH
PEDA L

Key
s an d Ignitio n
You r Passpor t come s wit h tw o
keys .
Th e ke y cod e numbe r i s stampe d
o n th e meta l plat e attache d to th e
ke y ring .
Fo r vehicl e security :
Recor d th e ke y cod e number .
Kee p th e ke y cod e numbe r
plat e in a saf e place , NO T IN
TH E VEHICLE . I
f th e origina l key s ar e lost ,
duplicate s ca n b e mad e usin g th e
ke y cod e number . Contac t an y
Hond a deale r o r a locksmith .
Steerin g Colum n
Lock/Ignitio n Switc h
Th e ignitio n switch , o n th e righ t
sid e o f th e steering column, ha s
fiv e positions : LOC
K — Th e norma l parkin g
position . Thi s lock s th e steerin g
an d prevent s norma l us e o f th e
steerin g wheel .
Th e ke y ca n b e remove d onl y
whe n th e ignitio n is i n thi s
position . O n automati c
transmissio n models , th e ignitio n
switc h canno t b e turne d to th e
"EOCK " positio n unles s th e shif t
leve r ha s firs t bee n place d in th e
"P " position . Th e shif t leve r i s
the n locked .
AC C (Accessory) — In thi s
position , yo u ca n us e som e
electrica l accessorie s whe n th e
engin e is no t running .
O N — Th e norma l drivin g
position .
START —This positio n start s th e
engine . Th e switc h return s t o O N
whe n yo u releas e th e key .
Interio r Feature s
META
L PLAT E
WIT H KE Y COD E

Assis
t Gri p
A n assis t gri p i s locate d abov e
eac h window . Hor
n Butto n
T o soun d th e horn , pres s th e
cente r o f th e steerin g whee l
airbag .
HORN ARE A Til
t Steerin g Whee l
See page 15 for important
information about how to properly
position the steering wheel.
Th e releas e leve r fo r th e til t
steerin g whee l i s o n th e lef t sid e
o f th e steerin g column .
T o adjus t th e heigh t o f th e
steerin g wheel , pus h u p o n th e
lever . Th e steerin g whee l ha s si x
Interio r Feature s

Drivin
g Tip s
Before Drivin g .......... . 15 6
Startin g th e Engin e .... . 15 7
Ne w Vehicl e Break-I n .... . 15 8
Parkin g ............... . 15 8
Brake s ................ . 15 9
Tire s ................. . 16 3
Inflatio n ............ . 16 4
Inspectio n ........... . 16 5
Maintenanc e ......... . 16 6
Tir e Rotatio n ......... . 16 6
Replacin g Tire s
an d Wheel s ......... . 16 6
Wheel s an d Tire s ..... . 16 7
Tractio n ............. . 16 8
Tir e Chain s ........ . 16 8
Whee l Replacemen t
Consideration s ...... . 16 9
Fue l Econom y .......... . 17 0
Three-Wa y Catalyti c
Converte r ............ . 17 2 Operatio
n i n
Foreig n Countrie s ...... . 17 3
Accessorie s & Modification s 17 3
Carryin g Carg o .......... . 17 5
Traile r Towin g .......... . 17 8
Traile r Hitche s ....... . 18 0
Safet y Chai n ......... . 18 1
Traile r Light s ......... . 18 1
Tire s ................ . 18 1
Traile r Brake s ........ . 18 1
Equipmen t Chec k ..... . 18 2
Limite d Sli p Differentia l .. . 18 2
Drivin g Tip s

I
f you r vehicl e i s equippe d wit h
a n automati c transmission , se t
th e parkin g brak e befor e yo u
leav e th e driver' s seat . I f th e
vehicl e is parke d o n a grad e
an d th e transmissio n shif t leve r
i s place d in "P " (Park ) positio n
befor e yo u se t th e parkin g
brake , th e weigh t o f th e vehicl e
ma y exer t s o muc h forc e o n th e
transmissio n tha t yo u ma y hav e
difficult y movin g th e shif t
leve r ou t o f "P " (Park )
position . T o preven t this , appl y
th e parkin g brak e BEFOR E
movin g th e shif t leve r t o "P "
(Park) . Whe n yo u wan t t o driv e
away , mov e th e shif t leve r ou t
o f th e "P " (Park ) positio n
BEFOR E releasin g th e parkin g
brake . I t i s goo d drivin g
practic e t o se t th e parkin g
brak e first , the n plac e th e
transmissio n i n "PARK " position
, eve n o n leve l
surfaces .
I
f th e parkin g brak e doe s no t
see m to hol d th e vehicl e a s
wel l a s before , hav e th e vehicl e
service d b y you r Hond a dealer .
D o no t par k you r vehicl e ove r
hig h grass , dr y leave s o r othe r
combustibl e materials . Th e
catalyti c converte r get s ver y
ho t an d coul d se t fir e to thes e
materials .
Anti-Loc
k Brake s
You r vehicl e ha s a n Anti-loc k
Brak e Syste m (ABS ) a s standar d
equipment . AB S help s t o preven t
th e wheel s fro m lockin g u p an d
skiddin g durin g har d braking ,
allowin g yo u t o retai n steerin g
control .
Whe n th e fron t tire s skid , yo u
los e steerin g control ; th e vehicl e
continue s straigh t ahea d eve n
thoug h yo u tur n th e steerin g
wheel . Th e AB S help s t o preven t
lock-u p an d retai n steerin g contro l
b y pumpin g th e brake s rapidly ;
muc h faste r tha n a perso n ca n d o it .
Yo u shoul d neve r pum p th e
brak e pedal , thi s defeat s th e
purpos e o f th e ABS . Le t th e AB S
wor k fo r yo u b y alway s keepin g
firm , stead y pressur e o n th e brak e
peda l a s yo u stee r awa y fro m th e
Drivin g Tip s
Brake
s

indicato
r i n thre e o r mor e place s
aroun d th e tire .
Maintenanc e
I n additio n t o prope r inflation ,
correc t whee l alignmen t help s t o
decrease tir e wear . Yo u shoul d get
you r vehicle' s suspensio n part s
inspecte d often , an d aligne d whe n
needed .
Th e tire s wer e properl y balance d
a t th e factory . The y ma y need to
b e rebalance d a t som e tim e befor e
the y ar e wor n out . Hav e you r
deale r chec k th e tire s i f yo u fee l a
consisten t vibratio n whil e driving .
A tir e shoul d alway s b e
rebalance d i f i t i s remove d fro m
th e whee l fo r repair .
Mak e sur e th e installe r balance s
th e wheel s whe n yo u hav e ne w
tire s installed . Thi s increase s ridin
g comfor t an d tir e life . You r
vehicle' s origina l tire s wer e
dynami c o r "spin " balance d a t th e
factory . Fo r bes t results , hav e th e
installe r perfor m a dynami c
balance .
Tir e Rotatio n
T o hel p increas e tir e lif e an d
distribut e wea r mor e evenly , yo u
shoul d hav e th e tire s rotate d ever y
7,50 0 mile s (12,00 0 km) .
Mov
e th e tire s t o th e position s
show n i n th e diagra m eac h tim e
the y ar e rotated .
Replacin g Tire s an d Wheel s
Th e tire s tha t cam e wit h you r
vehicl e wer e selecte d t o matc h it s
performanc e capabilitie s whil e
providin g th e bes t combinatio n o f
handling , rid e comfort , an d lon g
life . Yo u shoul d replac e the m wit h
radia l tire s o f th e same size , loa d
range , spee d rating , an d maximu m
col d tir e pressur e ratin g (a s show n
o n th e tire' s sidewall) . Mixin g
radia l an d bias-pl y tire s o n you r
vehicl e ca n reduc e it s brakin g
ability , traction , an d steerin g
accuracy .
Drivin g Tip s
FRON
T
5 WHEE L
4 WHEE L

W
e urg e yo u no t t o instal l
oversiz e tire s an d wheel s tha t
woul d chang e you r vehicle' s
rid e heigh t an d possibl y affec t
handlin g an d stability . It
is bes t to replac e al l fou r tire s at
th e sam e time . I f tha t i s no t
possibl e o r necessary , the n replac e
th e tw o fron t tire s o r th e tw o rea r
tire s a s a pair . Replacin g jus t on e
tir e ca n seriousl y affec t you r
vehicle' s handling .
Th e AB S work s b y comparin g th e
spee d o f th e wheels . Whe n
replacin g tires , us e th e sam e siz e
originall y supplie d wit h th e
vehicle . Tir e siz e an d constructio n
ca n affec t whee l spee d an d ma y
caus e th e syste m to wor k
inconsistently .
I f yo u eve r nee d t o replac e a
wheel , mak e sur e th e
replacement' s specification s
matc h th e wheel s tha t originall y
cam e o n you r Honda .
Replacemen
t wheel s ar e availabl e
a t you r Hond a dealer .
Wheel s an d Tire s
Wheels :
1 6 x 7 JJ
Tires :
Standar d o n L X 2W D
225/75R1 6
Standar d o n al l othe r model s
245/70R1 6
See page 25 1 fo r informatio n
abou t DO T Tir e Qualit y Grading .
Drivin g Tip s
Installin
g imprope r tire s o n
you r vehicl e ca n affec t
handlin g an d stability . Thi s
ca n caus e a cras h i n whic h
yo u ca n b e seriousl y hur t o r
killed .
Alway s us e th e siz e an d typ e
o f tire s recommende d in thi s
owner' s manual .

Whee
l Replacemen t
Consideration s
Damage d wheel s mus t b e
replaced . Fo r example , replac e
wheel s i f the y ar e bent , cracke d o r
heavil y rusted , o r i f whee l nut s
ofte n become loose . Als o replac e
wheel s tha t lea k ai r (excep t some
aluminu m wheel s tha t ca n b e
repaired) . See you r Hond a dealer .
D o no t us e ben t wheel s tha t hav e
bee n straightened , an d d o no t us e
tube s i n leakin g wheel s designe d
fo r tubeles s tires . Suc h wheel s
ma y hav e structura l damag e an d
coul d fai l withou t warning .
Maximu m loads , maximu m
inflatio n pressures , whee l
identificatio n codes , an d whee l
size s ar e stampe d o n eac h wheel .
Service-teste d an d approve d wheel
s ar e availabl e fro m you r
Hond a dealer .
Whe n obtainin g wheel s fo r an y
reaso n fro m an y othe r source , th e
replacemen t wheel s shoul d b e
equa l i n loa d capacity , inflatio n
pressur e capacity , diameter , width ,
offse t an d mountin g configuratio n
t o thos e originall y installe d o n
you r vehicle . A whee l o f th e
wron g siz e o r typ e ma y adversel y
affec t loa d carryin g capacity ,
whee l an d bearin g life , brak e
cooling , speedometer/odomete r
calibration , stoppin g ability ,
headligh t aim , bumpe r height ,
vehicl e groun d clearance , an d tir e
o r tir e chai n clearanc e t o th e bod y
an d chassis . Replacemen t wit h
use d wheel s is no t advised : The y
ma y hav e bee n subjecte d to hars h treatmen
t o r ver y hig h mileag e an d
coul d fai l withou t warning .
Installin g wheel s and/o r tire s tha t
hav e a highe r loa d carryin g limi t
tha n thos e tha t originall y cam e o n
you r vehicl e doe s no t increas e th e
GAW R o r GVW R o f th e vehicle .
Drivin g Tip s