A
Wor d t o th e Owne r
W e urg e yo u t o carefull y rea d thi s manua l an d follo w it s
recommendation s t o hel p assur e enjoyabl e an d trouble-fre e operation .
Pleas e kee p thi s Owner' s Manua l i n th e glov e bo x o f you r Passpor t a s
permanen t referenc e material .
Whil e readin g thi s manua l yo u wil l notic e tha t specification s ar e give n
i n bot h metri c an d Englis h measurements . Wher e accurac y i s no t
needed , som e conversion s hav e bee n rounde d of f fo r you r convenience .
Whe n i t come s t o service , remembe r tha t you r Hond a deale r know s
you r vehicl e bes t an d i s intereste d in you r complet e satisfaction .
W e than k yo u fo r choosin g a Hond a product , an d wan t t o assur e yo u
tha t w e wil l continu e t o b e intereste d in you r motorin g pleasur e an d
satisfaction .
America n Hond a Moto r Co. , Inc .
Californi a Propositio n 6 5 Warnin g
WARNING : Thi s produc t contain s o r emit s chemical s know n t o th e
Stat e o f Californi a t o caus e cance r an d birt h defect s o r othe r
reproductiv e harm . A
s yo u rea d thi s manual , yo u wil l
fin d informatio n tha t i s precede d b y
symbol . Thi s
informatio n i s intende d t o hel p yo u
avoi d damag e t o you r Honda , othe r
property , o r th e environment .
Preface
NOTIC
E
a
I
f th e ligh t stay s o n afte r th e
engin e starts .
I f th e ligh t come s o n o r flashe s
o n an d of f whil e yo u drive .
I f yo u see any o f thes e
indications , you r airbag s ma y no t
deplo y whe n yo u nee d them . See
you r Hond a deale r a s soo n a s
possible .
SR
S Servic e
You r Supplementa l Restrain t
Syste m is virtuall y maintenance -
free , an d ther e ar e n o parts you
ca n safel y service . However , yo u
mus t hav e you r vehicl e service d
if :
Your airbags ever inflate. The
airbag s an d contro l uni t mus t
b e replaced . D o no t tr y t o
remov e o r replac e th e airbag s
yourself . Thi s mus t b e don e b y
a Hond a deale r o r a
knowledgeabl e bod y shop .
The SRS indicator light alerts
you to a problem. Take you r
vehicl e t o a n authorize d Hond a
deale r a s soo n a s possible . I f
yo u ignor e thi s indication , th e
airbag s migh t no t inflat e whe n
yo u nee d them .
Additiona
l Safet y
Precaution s
D o no t attemp t t o deactivat e
you r airbags . Together , airbag s
an d sea t belt s provid e th e bes t
protectio n in a moderat e t o
sever e fronta l collision .
D o no t tampe r wit h SR S
component s o r wirin g fo r an y
reason . Tamperin g coul d caus e
th e airbag s t o deploy , possibl y
causin g ver y seriou s injury .
See pag e 17 4 fo r furthe r
informatio n an d precaution s
relatin g t o you r SRS .
Drive r an d Passenge r Safet y
Ignorin
g th e SR S indicato r ligh t
ca n resul t i n seriou s injur y o r
deat h if th e airbag s d o no t
inflat e whe n needed .
Hav e you r vehicl e checke d b y a
deale r a s soo n a s possibl e if
th e SR S ligh t alert s yo u t o a
potentia l problem .
Depending
on the type of problem,
the "CHECK TRANS" light will
flash but the transmission may
continue to shift automatically. If
the transmission is shifting
normally, you do not have to
choose gears with the shift lever.
However, continued operation of
the vehicle with this light flashing
can cause serious mechanical
damage. You should have the
vehicle serviced by your Honda
dealer as soon as possible.
Winte r Driv e Indicato r
Automatic Transmission only
Th e "Winte r Drive " ligh t wil l
come on whe n yo u pus h th e
Winte r Driv e butto n wit h th e
engin e runnin g an d th e
transmissio n leve r i n th e "D "
range .
I
t als o come s o n fo r a fe w second s
whe n yo u tur n th e ignitio n switc h
t o th e "ON " position .
Refe r t o "Drivin g Patter n
Selector " late r i n thi s section .
Powe r Driv e Indicato r
Automatic Transmission only
Th e "Powe r Drive " ligh t wil l
com e o n whe n yo u pus h th e
Powe
r Driv e butto n wit h th e
engin e running .
I t als o come s o n fo r a fe w second s
whe n yo u tur n th e ignitio n switc h
t o th e "ON " position .
Refe r t o "Drivin g Pattern
Selector " late r i n thi s section .
Instrument s an d Control s
NOTIC
E
Th
e EX- L mode l ha s a powe r
adjustabl e driver' s seat . O n th e
othe r models , th e driver' s sea t
adjust s manually .
Th e fron t passsenger' s sea t an d
th e rea r sea t i n al l model s adjus t
manually .
Manua l Fron t Sea t
Adjustment s
See pages 10 -11 for important
safety information and warnings
about how to properly position
seats and seat-backs.
Th e fron t seat s ma y b e adjuste d
forwar d o r backwar d b y pullin g
u p o n th e leve r a t th e fron t o f th e
sea t an d the n usin g bod y pressur e
t
o mov e th e sea t t o th e desire d
position .
Le t g o o f th e leve r an d th e sea t
wil l loc k int o th e desire d position .Afte
r adjustin g th e seat , us e you r
bod y weigh t t o tr y t o mov e i t
forwar d an d backward . Sea t
movemen t indicate s tha t a t leas t
on e o f th e sea t adjuster s di d no t
latch . Lif t th e leve r an d readjus t
th e seat . I f th e sea t wil l no t latc h
firml y i n positio n afte r severa l
attempts , tak e th e vehicl e t o you r
deale r fo r service . A n unlatche d
sea t coul d increas e you r chanc e o f
injur y i n a n accident .
Alway s adjus t th e sea t befor e yo u
star t driving . Tryin g t o mov e th e
sea t whil e th e vehicl e is movin g
coul d caus e yo u t o los e control .
Seat 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
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
Three-Wa
y Catalyti c Converte r
Th e three-wa y catalyti c converte r
i s a n emission s contro l devic e
adde d to th e exhaus t syste m to
reduc e exhaus t ga s pollutants . Th e
converte r contain s a cerami c
materia l coate d wit h nobl e meta l
catalysts . T o preven t
contaminatio n o f th e catalysts ,
unleade d gasolin e mus t b e used .
Unleade d gasolin e als o reduce s
combustio n chambe r deposit s an d
exhaus t syste m corrosion .
Th e three-wa y catalyti c converte r
require s th e us e o f unleade d
gasoline . Us e o f leade d gasolin e
wil l caus e th e converte r t o los e it s
effectiveness .
T o Hel p Preven t Damag e
1 . Kee p you r engin e properl y
maintained . Engin e
malfunction s involvin g th e electrical
, electroni c fue l
injectio n o r ignitio n system s
ma y resul t i n unusuall y hig h
converte r an d exhaus t syste m
temperatures . D o no t kee p
drivin g you r vehicl e i f yo u
detec t engin e misfire ,
noticeabl e los s o f performance ,
o r othe r unusua l operatin g
conditions . Hav e i t service d
promptly . A properl y
maintaine d engin e wil l
minimiz e malfunction s tha t
coul d damage th e converter . I t
wil l als o hel p provid e goo d
emission s contro l an d fue l
economy . (Se e th e
Maintenanc e Schedul e o n page
20 4 fo r informatio n o n
inspectin g an d maintainin g th e
engine , exhaus t syste m an d
othe r components. ) 2
. D o no t pus h o r to w you r
vehicl e t o star t it . Thi s coul d
damag e th e converter .
3 . 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 t o these
materials .
Drivin g Tip s
Follo
w th e recommendation s i n
thi s manua l an d as k you r Hond a
deale r fo r furthe r detail s befor e
yo u to w a traile r wit h you r
Passport .
Towin g a traile r affect s vehicl e
maintenanc e requirement s du e
t o th e additiona l load . Mor e
frequen t maintenanc e interval s
wil l b e require d to assur e
continue d satisfactio n wit h
you r vehicle . Consul t you r
Hond a deale r fo r recommende d
maintenanc e an d service .
Th e gros s traile r weigh t (traile r
weigh t plu s carg o load ) mus t
neve r excee d 4,50 0 Ib .
Additiona l equipmen t wil l b e
required , dependin g o n th e
specifi c model/loa d combination .
See "Traile r Hitches " i n thi s
section .
Exceedin
g th e weigh t limi t wil l
caus e damag e t o you r vehicl e an d
possibl y resul t i n persona l injury . Th
e Gros s Vehicl e Weigh t
Ratin g (GVWR ) i s th e
combine d weigh t o f th e
unloade d vehicle , passengers,
cargo , traile r hitch , traile r
tongu e load , an d optiona l
equipment . Thi s valu e is
indicate d o n th e F.M.V.S.S .
Certificatio n Labe l o n th e
driver' s doorjamb . Th
e Gros s Combine d Weigh t
Ratin g (GCWR ) equal s th e
combine d weigh t o f you r
vehicl e (includin g passengers
an d cargo ) plu s th e tota l traile r
load . Th e followin g limit s
apply .
2WD : 8,70 0 Ib
4WD : 8,95 0 Ib
Th e Gros s Axl e Weigh t Ratin g
(GAWR ) i s als o indicate d o n
th e Certificatio n Label . Th e
loa d o n eithe r th e fron t o r rea r
axl e resultin g fro m distributio n
o f th e gross vehicl e weigh t o n
bot h axle s mus t no t excee d th e
value s listed . Remembe r t o
accoun t fo r additiona l
equipmen t an d tongu e load .
Drivin g Tip s