Interio
r
D IGNITION SWITCH
See page 101 .
E STARTING THE ENGINE
See page 157 .
F GAUGES
See page 58 .
G ADJUSTING REAR AND
SID E VIE W MIRROR S
See page 105 .
H SHIFTING
For automatic , see page 76 .
Fo r manual , see page 83 .
Fo r four-whee l drive, see pages
8 0 an d 84 .
I PARKING BRAKE
See page 86 .
J HEADEIGHTS
See page 72 .
K WINDSHIEED WIPERS
See page 70 .
L TURN SIGNALS
See page 75 .
M HEATER CONTROLS
See page 120 .
N MAP LIGHT AND
MOONROO F
See pages 112 .
O PUTTING FUEL IN
TH E VEHICL E
See page 197 .
Of f t o a Goo d Star t
Shift Speed Chart
The lower gears of the
transmission are used for normal
acceleration of
the vehicle to the
desired cruising
speed. The
highest gear of the transmission is
used to maintain the desired
speed. The
fifth gear is
recommended for
use in
maintaining highway cruising
speeds. Use of the fifth gear in
city traffic
is not recommended.
The shif
t speed chart shows the
speeds a
t which each upshift of
the transmission
should be made
to get the best vehicle performance and
fuel economy. For cruising,
choose the highest
gear for
that speed (cruising speed
is defined as a relatively constant
speed operation).
Th
e upshift indicator (U/S) lights
to show recommended upshift points. (Refer
to "Indicator
Lights.")
If th
e engine is "lugging" (the
speed you are traveling at is too
slow for the gear the transmission
is in),
downshift to the next lower
gear. You
may need to downshift
two or more gear positions to keep the engine from "lugging" or
to keep the performance at a
satisfactory level.
Transfe
r Control
4WD Models
The "4WD" indicator lightilluminates when
4WD is engaged
with the 4WD-2WD switch.
"2H" (High Range, 2-Wheel
Drive)
Us
e this for normal driving on dry
pavement. This
position gives
greater economy, quieter ride and
least drivetrain
wear.
Instruments and Controls
Fue
l Econom y
Drivin g fo r Bes t Fue l
Econom y
How , where , an d whe n yo u driv e
al l affec t ho w man y miles /
kilometer s yo u ca n ge t fro m a
gallon/lite r o f fuel . Th e carefu l
attentio n yo u giv e you r vehicl e a s
fa r a s maintenanc e an d repair s
wil l als o hel p fue l economy .
Fuel Selection
Us e onl y unleade d gasolin e
meetin g federa l governmen t
regulations . Th e federa l
governmen t specifie s th e
minimu m octan e ratin g numbe r o f
unleade d gasoline . Unleade d
gasolin e mus t b e use d fo r prope r
emission s contro l syste m
operation . I t wil l als o minimiz e
spar k plu g fouling . Th e us e o f
leade d gasolin e ca n damag e th e
emission s contro l syste m an d coul
d resul t i n los s o f warrant y
coverage .
"Jackrabbit" Starts
Yo u ca n sav e fue l (an d prolon g
engin e an d tir e life ) b y avoidin g
fas t start s awa y fro m light s an d
sto p signs .
Stop-and-Go Driving
Frequen t stop-and-g o drivin g
durin g a tri p wil l cu t dow n o n
you r mile s pe r gallo n (kilometer s
pe r liter) . Pla n eve n you r shor t
shoppin g trip s t o tak e advantag e
o f throug h street s t o avoi d traffi c
lights . Pac e you r drivin g t o avoi d
unplanne d stops .
Excessive Idling
A n idlin g engin e use s fuel , too . I f
you'r e face d wit h mor e tha n a fe w
minute s wai t an d you'r e no t i n traffic
, i t i s bette r t o tur n of f th e
ke y an d star t th e engin e agai n
later .
Repetitive Harsh Stopping
Hars h stop s ca n als o wast e fuel ;
instea d o f movin g th e vehicle , th e
energ y is waste d a s hea t i n
braking . Energ y i n th e for m o f
fue l i s als o neede d to accelerat e
bac k t o drivin g speed .
Lubricants
A well-lubricate d vehicl e mean s
les s frictio n betwee n movin g
parts . Thi s manua l list s th e prope r
lubricatio n interval s i n th e "Car e
an d Maintenance " section .
Air Cleaner
You r vehicl e get s it s powe r fro m a
mixtur e o f fue l an d air . Th e ai r i s
take n int o th e engin e throug h th e
Drivin g Tip s
ai
r cleaner , s o it' s importan t t o
replac e th e ai r cleane r filte r a t
require d intervals . Se e "Car e an d
Maintenance. " A dirt y ai r cleane r
filte r reduce s engin e performanc e
an d ca n wast e fuel .
Air Conditioning
Tur n of f th e ai r conditionin g whe n
i t i s no t needed . Th e ai r
conditionin g compresso r i s no t o n
i n thi s positio n an d th e reduce d
engin e loa d ca n improv e fue l
economy .
Tuned Engine
A n engin e tha t i s properl y
maintaine d wil l provid e bette r
fue l econom y tha n on e tha t i s not .
On e misfirin g spar k plu g wil l cu t
fue l econom y significantly , an d
wil l mak e a differenc e in th e
amoun t o f pollutio n emitte d fro m
you r vehicle .
Excessive
Weight
Fue l econom y i s relate d t o th e
wor k th e engin e mus t do . Th e
heavie r th e load , th e mor e fue l i t
take s t o ru n you r vehicle . Kee p
weigh t t o a minimu m b y removin g
unnecessar y luggag e o r cargo .
Tire Inflation
Underinflatio n no t onl y cause s
needles s tir e wea r bu t ca n als o
wast e fuel . It' s a goo d ide a to
chec k tir e pressur e ofte n an d kee p
you r tire s inflate d t o th e pressure s
show n o n th e tir e placar d locate d
o n th e driver' s doorjamb .
Wheel
Alignment
Imprope r alignmen t wil l cause the
fron t tire s t o rol l a t a n angl e tha t
wil l resul t i n faste r tir e wear . I t
take s powe r t o overcom e thi s
imprope r alignment , which , i n
turn , waste s fuel .
Use of 4-Wheel Drive
I n norma l driving , pu t th e
4WD-2W D switc h i n th e 2W D
position .
Drivin g Tip s
Car
e an d Maintenanc e
Thi s sectio n explain s wh y i t i s
importan t t o kee p you r vehicl e
wel l maintaine d an d t o follo w
basi c maintenanc e safet y
precautions .
Thi s sectio n als o include s
Maintenanc e Schedule s fo r
norma l drivin g an d sever e drivin g
conditions , a Maintenanc e
Record , an d instruction s fo r
simpl e maintenanc e task s yo u
ma y wan t t o tak e care o f yourself .
I f yo u hav e th e skill s an d tool s
require d t o perfor m mor e comple x
maintenanc e tasks o n you r Honda ,
yo u ma y wan t t o purchas e th e
Servic e Manual . See page 25 3 fo r
informatio n o n ho w to obtai n a
copy , o r se e you r Hond a dealer . Servic
e Statio n Informatio n . 19 7
Fue l Fil l Ca p ......... . 19 7
Fue l Recommendatio n . . . 198
Fue l Tan k Capacit y .... . 19 8
Engin e Oi l
Recommendatio n ..... . 19 8
Windshiel d Washe r .... . 19 8
Tir e Inflatio n Pressure s . . 19 8
Batter y .............. . 19 8
Hoo d Releas e ......... . 19 9
Engin e Oi l Dipstic k .... . 200
Fue l Requirement s ....... . 200
Oxygenate d Fuel s ..... . 200
Maintenanc e Safet y ...... . 20 1
Importan t Safet y
Precaution s ......... . 20 2
Maintenanc e Schedul e .... . 20 3
Required Maintenance Record 206
Owne r Safet y Check s ..... . 20 8
Engin e Oi l an d Filte r ..... . 21 1
Prope r Qualit y Oi l ..... . 21 1 Chang
e Interva l ....... . 21 1
Oi l Chang e .......... . 21 2
Oi l Filte r Installatio n . 21 2
Oi l Viscosit y ......... . 21 3
Oi l Leve l Chec k ...... . 21 3
Engin e Oi l Additive s . . . 21 4
Ai r Cleane r Filte r ....... . 21 4
Manua l Transmissio n Flui d 21 5
Automati c Transmissio n
Flui d ................. . 21 6
Fron t (4WD ) an d
Rea r Axle s ............ . 21 6
Engin e Coolin g Syste m . . . 21 7
Othe r Require d Maintenanc e 21 9
Brak e Maste r Cylinde r . . 21 9
Shift-on-the-Fl y Syste m . 22 0
Fron t Whee l Bearing s . . . 22 0
Hoo d Latc h an d Hinge s . 22 1
Ai r Conditionin g ...... . 22 1
Bod y Lubricatio n ..... . 22 1
Car e an d Maintenanc e
Servic
e Statio n Informatio n
Fuel Fil l Ca p
T o remov e th e fue l fil l cap , tur n i t
counterclockwise . T o clos e th e fil l
cap , tur n i t clockwis e unti l yo u
hea r i t clic k a t leas t thre e times .
Pu t th e fue l fil l ca p i n th e ca p
holde r whil e refueling .
I f yo u nee d a replacement , us e onl y
a genuin e Hond a fue l fil l cap . A n
imprope r fue l fil l ca p ca n affec t th e
fue l system , th e emission s system ,
an d allo w fue l spillage .
Car e an d Maintenanc e
Componen
t Location s
CLUTC
H MASTE R
CYLINDE R
RESERVOI R
POWE R
STEERIN G
RESERVOIR .
BRAK E MASTE R
CYLINDE R
RESERVOI R
ENGIN
E OI L
FILLE R CA P
ENGIN E
OI L DIPSTIC K
WINDSHIEL D
WASHE R
RESERVOI R
RADIATO R
RESERV E
TANK
BATTER
Y
RADIATO
R CA P
AIR CLEANE R
To
Close
1 . Lif t th e hoo d slightl y t o remov e
tensio n fro m th e suppor t rod .
2 . Plac e th e suppor t ro d in it s
retainin g cli p an d lowe r th e
hood .
Alway s mak e sur e th e hoo d is
securel y latche d befor e yo u begi n
driving .
Engin
e Oi l Dipstic k
Chec k th e oi l leve l whe n th e
engin e i s of f an d th e oi l i s warm ,
suc h a s durin g a fue l stop . See
pag e 213 . You
r Hond a operate s mos t
effectivel y o n unleade d gasolin e
wit h a pum p octan e numbe r o f 8 6
o r higher . Us e o f a lowe r octan e
gasolin e ca n caus e a persistent ,
heav y metalli c rappin g nois e i n
th e engin e tha t ca n lea d t o
mechanica l damage .
W e recommen d gasoline s containin g
detergen t additive s tha t hel p preven t
fue l syste m an d engin e deposits .
Usin g gasolin e containin g lea d wil l
damag e you r vehicle' s emissio n
controls . Thi s contribute s t o ai r
pollutio n an d ca n voi d certai n part s
o f you r warranty .
Oxygenate d Fuel s
Som e conventiona l gasoline s ar e
bein g blende d wit h alcoho l o r a n
ethe r compound . Thes e gasoline s
ar e collectivel y referre d to a s
oxygenate d fuels . T o mee t clea n ai r
Car e an d Maintenanc e
Fue
l Requirement s
standards
, som e area s o f th e Unite d
State s an d Canad a us e oxygenate d
fuel s t o hel p reduc e emissions .
I f yo u us e a n oxygenate d fuel , b e
sur e it i s unleade d an d meet s th e
minimu m octan e ratin g requirement .
Befor e usin g a n oxygenate d fuel ,
tr y t o confir m th e fuel' s contents .
Som e states/province s requir e thi s
informatio n to b e poste d o n th e
pump .
Th e followin g ar e th e EPA-approve d
percentage s o f oxygenates :
ETHANO L (ethy l o r grai n alcohol) .
Yo u ma y us e gasolin e containin g u p
t o 10 % ethano l b y volume . Gasolin e
containin g ethano l ma y b e markete d
unde r th e nam e "Gasohol. "
MTB E (Methy l Tertiar y Buty l
Ether) . Yo u ma y us e gasolin e
containin g u p t o 15 % MTB E b y
volume . METHANO
L (methy l o r woo d
alcohol) . You r vehicl e wa s no t
designed to us e fue l tha t contain s
methanol . Methano l ca n corrod e
meta l part s i n th e fue l system , an d
als o damage plastic an d rubbe r
components . Thi s damag e woul d no t
b e covere d b y you r warranties .
I f yo u notic e an y undesirabl e
operatin g symptoms , tr y anothe r
servic e statio n o r switc h t o anothe r
bran d o f gasoline .
Fue l syste m damage o r performanc e
problem s resultin g fro m th e us e o f
a n oxygenate d fue l containin g
mor e tha n th e percentages o f
oxygenate s give n abov e ar e no t
covere d unde r warranty .
Regularl
y maintainin g you r
vehicl e is th e bes t wa y t o protec t
you r investment . Prope r
maintenanc e is essentia l t o you r
safet y an d th e safet y o f you r
passengers. It wil l als o rewar d
yo u wit h mor e economical ,
trouble-fre e drivin g an d hel p
reduc e ai r pollution .
Car e an d Maintenanc e
Improperl
y maintainin g thi s
vehicl e o r failin g t o correc t a
proble m befor e drivin g 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 follo w th e inspectio n
an d maintenanc e
recommendation s an d
schedule s in thi s owner' s
manual .
Maintenanc
e Safet y