Page 209 of 317
R
— Replac e L — Lub e I — Inspec t Afte r inspection , clean , adjust , repai r o r replac e i f necessary .
Chec k oi l an d coolan t leve l a t eac h fue l stop . Unde
r sever e drivin g conditions , servic e thes e item s mor e often . Thes e condition s are : Service fo r sever e drivin g condition s Repeate
d shor t trip s i n col d weathe r Frequen t idlin g and/o r frequen t low-spee d operatio n Chang e engin e oi l an d filte r - Ever y 3,75 0 mile s (6,00 0 km ) Drivin
g i n dust y area s Towing a traile r or 3 month s
Chang e rea r axl e oi l - Every 15,00 0 mile s (24,00 0 km )
Car e an d Maintenanc e
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Require
d Maintenanc e Recor d
Hav e you r servicin g deale r recor d al l Require d Maintenanc e below . Kee p receipt s fo r al l wor k don e o n you r car .
Car e an d Maintenanc e
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Non-Schedule
d Maintenanc e Recor d
Recor d additiona l maintenanc e fo r sever e drivin g condition s o r non-schedule d maintenanc e o n thi s pag e (se e page s 204 -205 ).
Car e an d Maintenanc e
Page 212 of 317

Promptl
y tak e an y safet y
problem s t o you r Hond a deale r
fo r servic e advice .
Parkin g brak e — Par k o n a fairl y
stee p hil l and hold th e vehicl e
wit h th e parkin g brak e only . Thi s
check s it s holdin g ability .
Starte r safet y switc h (automati c
transmission ) — Chec k th e safet y
switc h b y tryin g t o star t th e
engin e in eac h gear . Th e starte r
shoul d wor k onl y wit h th e shif t
leve r i n th e "P " (Park ) o r "N "
(Neutral ) position .
Starte r safet y switc h (manua l
transmission ) — To chec k th e
safet y switch , plac e th e shif t leve r
i n "Neutral, " pus h th e clutc h
peda l halfwa y an d tr y t o star t th e
engine . Th e starte r shoul d no t
work . Th e starte r shoul d wor k onl
y whe n th e clutc h peda l i s full y
depressed .
Transmissio n shif t indicato r
(automati c transmission ) —
Chec k tha t th e indicato r point s t o
th e gea r chosen .
Steerin g — Be aler t fo r an y
change s i n steerin g action . A n
inspectio n o r servic e is neede d
whe n th e steerin g whee l i s harde r
t o tur n o r ha s to o muc h fre e play ,
o r i f ther e ar e unusua l sound s
whe n turnin g o r parking .
Whee l alignment , balanc e an d
tire s — Uneve n o r abnorma l tir e
wear , o r pullin g t o th e righ t o r lef t
o n a straigh t an d leve l roa d ma y
sho w th e nee d fo r a whee l
alignment . A vibratio n o f th e
steerin g whee l o r sea t a t norma l
highwa y speed s mean s whee l balancin
g is needed . Chec k tir e
pressure s (includin g th e spare ) a t
leas t monthl y an d wheneve r th e
vehicl e is service d (se e page 163 ).
Brake s — Watc h fo r th e
"BRAKE " ligh t comin g on . Othe r
sign s o f possibl e brak e troubl e ar e
suc h thing s a s repeate d pullin g to
on e sid e whe n braking , unusua l
sound s whe n brakin g o r betwee n
brak e applications , o r increase d
brak e peda l travel . I f yo u not e on e
o f thes e conditions , hav e th e
syste m checke d a t onc e an d
repaire d i f needed .
Car e an d Maintenanc e
Owne
r Safet y Check s
Page 213 of 317

Si
t i n th e driver' s sea t an d
perfor m thes e checks :
1 . Wit h th e engin e stopped ,
depres s th e brak e peda l severa l
times ; th e trave l distanc e an d
effectiv e peda l strok e shoul d
remai n unchanged .
2 . Star t th e engin e wit h th e brak e
peda l full y depressed .
Th e brak e peda l shoul d g o dow n
a littl e a s th e engin e starts .
3 . Depres s th e brak e pedal , sto p
th e engin e an d hol d th e peda l
depresse d fo r abou t 3 0
seconds ; th e brak e peda l
shoul d remai n i n positio n
withou t risin g o r goin g down .
4 . Restar t th e engin e an d ru n i t
fo r abou t a minute , the n tur n i t
of f an d depres s th e brak e
peda l firml y severa l times ; th e
brak e peda l trave l shoul d decreas
e eac h tim e th e brak e
peda l i s depressed .
I f th e brake s d o no t operat e
normally , hav e the m checke d an d
correcte d b y you r Hond a dealer .
Exhaus t syste m — Be aler t t o an y
change s i n th e soun d o f th e exhaus t
syste m o r an y smel l o f fumes .
Thes e ar e sign s th e syste m ma y b e
leakin g o r overheating . Hav e th e
syste m checke d and/o r repaire d a t
onc e i f thes e condition s exist . (Als o
se e "Carbo n Monoxid e Hazard " i n
th e "Drive r an d Passenger Safety "
sectio n an d "Three-Wa y Catalyti c
Converter " i n th e "Drivin g Tips "
section. )
Windshiel d wiper s an d
washer s — Chec k th e operatio n
an d conditio n o f th e wipe r blades .
Chec k th e flo w an d ai m o f th e
washe r spray .
Defrosters
— Chec k performanc e
b y movin g th e control s t o th e
defros t settin g an d notin g th e
amoun t o f ai r directe d agains t th e
windshield .
Rea r vie w mirror s an d su n
visor s — Chec k tha t th e frictio n
joint s hol d th e mirror s an d su n
visor s firml y i n place .
Hor n — Blo w th e hor n no w an d
the n t o b e sur e i t works .
La p an d shoulde r belt s — Chec k
th e bel t system , includin g
webbing , buckles , latc h plates ,
retractors , guid e loop s an d
anchor s fo r prope r operatio n an d
damage .
Sea t adjuster s — Whe n adjustin g
a seat , b e sur e th e sea t adjuster s
latc h securel y b y pushin g th e sea t
forwar d an d backward .
Car e an d Maintenanc e
Page 214 of 317

Seat-bac
k latche s — Seat-bac k
latche s ar e designe d to preven t
forwar d motio n o f th e seat-bac k
whe n th e vehicl e stop s suddenly .
Chec k t o se e tha t th e seat-bac k
latche s ar e holdin g b y pullin g
forwar d o n th e top of th e foldin g
seat-back .
Als o chec k t o se e tha t th e
reclinin g seat s ar e operatin g
properly .
Light s an d beeper s — Chec k
pane l lighting , warnin g lights , an d
th e sea t bel t reminde r ligh t an d
beeper . Als o chec k th e ke y beepe r
an d interio r lights . O n th e outside ,
chec k th e licens e plat e light , sid e
marke r lights , headlights , parkin g
lights , taillights , brak e lights , tur n
signals , backu p light s an d hazar d
warnin g flashers . Hav e th e
headligh t ai m checke d promptl y i f th
e beam s see m to b e aime d
improperly .
Glass — Chec k fo r broken ,
scratche d o r damage d glas s tha t
coul d reduc e visibilit y o r caus e
injury .
Door latches — Chec k tha t th e
door s close , latc h an d loc k
securely .
Hoo d latc h — Chec k tha t th e
hoo d close s firmly . Chec k fo r
broken , damaged , o r missin g part s
tha t migh t preven t secur e
latching . Mak e sur e th e secondar y
latc h keep s th e hoo d fro m
openin g al l th e wa y whe n firs t
released .
Flui
d leaks — Chec k fo r fuel ,
water , oi l o r othe r flui d leak s b y
lookin g a t th e surfac e beneat h th e
vehicl e afte r i t ha s bee n parke d
fo r awhile . Wate r drippin g fro m
th e ai r conditionin g syste m afte r
us e i s normal . I f yo u notic e
gasolin e fume s o r flui d a t an y
time , locat e th e sourc e an d hav e it
correcte d a t once .
Spar e tir e an d jac k — Chec k tha t
th e spar e tir e an d al l jac k gea r ar e
securel y stowe d a t al l times .
Tailgat e latc h — Chec k tha t th e
tailgat e closes , latche s an d lock s
securely .
Car e an d Maintenanc e
Page 215 of 317

Underbody
— Corrosiv e
material s use d fo r road-ice , sno w
remova l an d dus t contro l ca n
collec t o n th e underbody . I f thes e
material s ar e no t removed ,
accelerate d corrosio n (rust ) ca n
occu r o n underbod y part s suc h a s
th e fue l line , frame , floo r pa n an d
exhaus t system . A t leas t onc e a
year , i n th e spring , flus h thes e
material s fro m th e underbody
wit h plai n water .
Tak e car e to thoroughl y clea n an y
areas wher e mu d an d othe r debri s
ca n collect . Sedimen t trappe d in
close d area s o f th e fram e shoul d
b e loosene d befor e bein g flushed .
Prope
r Qualit y Oi l
Engin e oil s ar e labele d o n th e
container s wit h variou s AP I
(America n Petroleu m Institute )
designation s o f quality .
Use Only SJ Quality Oil
Additiona l designation s o f qualit y
ma y als o b e present , bu t S J mus t
b e included .
Th e "SJ " designatio n ma y b e
show n alone , o r i n combinatio n
wit h othe r designations , suc h a s
"SJ/CC, " "SJ/CD, " o r "SJ , CC "
etc .
A s lon g a s th e letter s "SJ " appear
somewhere in th e designatio n o f
oi l qualit y indicate d o n th e
container , th e oi l is of suitabl e
quality .
Chang
e Interva l
Th e oi l an d filte r change interval s
fo r you r engin e ar e base d o n th e
us e o f th e recommended oi l
qualit y an d viscosity , a s wel l a s
high-qualit y filters . Usin g oil s
othe r tha n recommended, o r
extendin g oi l change interval s
longe r tha n those recommended ,
coul d reduc e engin e life .
You r engin e wa s fille d wit h a
high-qualit y engin e oi l whe n it
lef t th e factory . Yo u d o no t hav e
t o chang e thi s oi l befor e th e
suggeste d change period .
I f you r norma l drivin g doe s no t
includ e on e o r mor e o f th e "sever e
driving " condition s liste d below ,
change th e oi l ever y 7,50 0 mile s
(12,00 0 kilometers ) o r 6 months ,
whicheve r comes first .
Car e an d Maintenanc e
Engin
e Oi l an d Filte r
Page 216 of 317

Chang
e th e oi l an d oi l filte r ever y
3,75 0 mile s (6,00 0 kilometers ) o r
ever y thre e month s i f yo u driv e
unde r on e o r mor e o f thes e
"sever e driving " conditions : Drivin
g in dust y areas Towin
g a traile r Frequen
t idlin g o r idlin g fo r
lon g period s Frequen
t shor t trip s ( 4 mile s [ 6
kilometers ] o r less ) i n col d o r
freezin g weather , wher e th e
engin e doe s no t thoroughl y
war m up . Chang
e th e oi l an d oi l filte r a s
soo n a s possibl e afte r drivin g in
a dus t storm .
Oi
l Chang e
Changin g th e oi l an d filte r require s
specia l tool s an d access fro m
underneat h th e vehicle . Th e vehicl e
shoul d b e raise d o n a servic e
station-typ e hydrauli c lif t fo r thi s
service . Unles s yo u hav e th e
knowledg e an d prope r equipment ,
yo u shoul d hav e thi s maintenanc e
don e b y a skille d mechanic .
1 . War m up th e engine . Thi s
make s th e oi l drai n faste r an d
mor e thoroughly .
2 . Remov e th e oi l fille r cap .
3 . Remov e th e drai n plu g an d
drai n oi l fully .
4 . Instal l th e drai n plug , wit h a
ne w gasket , an d tighte n it .
5 . Fil l th e engin e wit h th e prope r
amoun t o f ne w oi l (se e
"Specifications") . Oil
Filter Installation
1 . Remov e th e ol d oi l filte r wit h
th e filte r wrench .
2 . Appl y a ligh t coa t o f engin e
oi l t o th e oi l filte r gasket .
3 . Hand-tighte n th e filte r unti l
th e gaske t contact s th e sealin g
face .
4 . Usin g th e filte r wrench ,
tighte n th e filte r on e ful l turn .
5 . Ru n th e engin e an d inspec t fo r
leaks .
6 . Shu t of f th e engine . Afte r a
coupl e o f minutes , chec k th e
oi l level . I f necessary , ad d oi l
t o brin g it t o th e FUL L mark .
An improperly installed oil filter
can result in severe engine
damage.
Car e an d Maintenanc e
NOTIC
E