Mirrors
, Parkin g Brak e
3 . Pus h th e appropriat e edg e o f th e
adjustmen t switc h to mov e th e
mirro r right , left , up , o r clown .
4 . Whe n yo u finish , mov e th e
selecto r switc h t o th e cente r (off )
position . Thi s turn s of f th e
adjustmen t switc h s o yo u can' t
mov e a mirro r ou t o f positio n b y
accidentall y bumpin g th e switch .Parkin
g Brak e
T o appl y th e parkin g brake , pul l th e
leve r u p fully . T o releas e it , pul l u p
slightly , pus h th e button , an d lowe r
th e lever . Th e parkin g brak e ligh t o n
th e instrumen t pane l shoul d g o ou t
whe n th e parkin g brak e is full y
release d (se e pag e 4 4 ) . I f yo u tr y t o
driv e th e vehicl e withou t releasin g
th e parkin g brake , th e AB S indicato r
ma y com e on , an d th e AB S ma y no t
wor k properly .
Driving
the car with the parking brake
applied can damage the rear brakes
and axles.
Instrument s an d Control s
NOTIC
E
Drivin
g
Thi s sectio n give s yo u tip s o n
startin g th e engin e unde r variou s
conditions , an d ho w to operat e th e
manua l transmission . I t als o include s
importan t informatio n o n parkin g
you r car , an d th e brakin g system . Preparin
g to Drive........................ . 13 0
Startin g th e Engine....................... . 13 1
Startin g i n Col d Weathe r
a t Hig h Altitud e .................... . 13 2
6-spee d Manua l Transmission.... . 13 3
Recommende d Shif t Points..... . 13 4
Engin e Spee d Limite r .............. . 13 4
Revers e Lockout....................... . 13 4
Parking........................................... . 13 5
Th e Brakin g System..................... . 13 6
Brak e Wea r Indicators............. . 13 6
Brak e Syste m Design............... . 13 7
Anti-loc k Brakes....................... . 13 7
Importan t Safet y
Reminders......................... . 13 8
AB S Indicator........................ . 13 9
Drivin g in Ba d Weather............... . 14 0
Towin g a Trailer........................... . 14 1
Drivin g
Parkin
g
Alway s us e th e parkin g brak e whe n
yo u par k you r car . Th e indicato r o n
th e instrumen t pane l show s tha t th e
parkin g brak e is no t full y released ; i t
doe s no t indicat e tha t th e parkin g
brak e is firml y set . Mak e sur e th e
parkin g brak e is se t firml y o r you r
ca r ma y rol l i f i t i s parke d o n a n
incline . I
f th e ca r i s facin g uphill , tur n th e
fron t wheel s awa y fro m th e cur b an d
pu t th e transmissio n in firs t gear .
I f th e ca r i s facin g downhill , tur n th e
fron t wheel s towar d th e cur b an d pu t
th e transmissio n in revers e gear .
Mak e sur e th e parkin g brak e is full y
release d befor e drivin g away .
Drivin g wit h th e parkin g brak e
partiall y se t ca n overhea t o r damag e
th e rea r brakes . Parkin
g Tip s Mak
e sur e th e convertibl e to p an d
th e window s ar e closed . Tur
n of f th e lights . Plac
e an y packages , valuables , etc. ,
i n th e trun k o r tak e the m wit h you . Loc
k th e door s wit h th e ke y o r th e
remot e transmitter . Neve
r par k ove r dr y leaves , tal l
grass , o r othe r flammabl e
materials . Th e thre e wa y catalyti c
converte r get s ver y hot , an d coul d
caus e thes e material s t o catc h o n
fire .
Driving
Th
e Brakin g Syste m
You r Hond a is equippe d wit h dis c
brake s a t al l fou r wheels . A powe r
assis t help s reduc e th e effor t neede d
o n th e brak e pedal . Th e AB S help s
yo u retai n steerin g contro l whe n
brakin g ver y hard .
Pu t you r foo t o n th e brak e peda l onl y
whe n yo u inten d to brake . Restin g
you r foo t o n th e peda l keep s th e
brake s applie d lightly , causin g the m
t o buil d u p heat . Hea t build-u p ca n
reduc e ho w wel l you r brake s work . I t
als o keep s you r brak e light s o n al l
th e time , confusin g driver s behin d
you .
Constan
t applicatio n o f th e brake s
whe n goin g dow n a lon g hil l build s
u p hea t an d reduce s thei r effective -
ness . Us e th e engin e to assis t th e
brake s b y downshiftin g to a lowe r
gea r an d takin g you r foo t of f th e
accelerato r pedal .
Chec k you r brake s afte r drivin g
throug h dee p water . Appl y th e
brake s moderatel y t o se e if the y fee l
normal . I f not , appl y the m gentl y an d
frequentl y unti l the y do . Sinc e a
longe r distanc e is neede d to sto p
wit h we t brakes , b e extr a cautiou s
an d aler t i n you r driving . Brak
e Wea r Indicator s
Al l fou r brake s hav e audibl e brak e
wea r indicators .
Whe n th e brak e pad s nee d replacing ,
yo u wil l hea r a distinctiv e metalli c
"screeching " soun d whe n yo u appl y
th e brakes . I f yo u d o no t hav e th e
brak e pad s replaced , the y wil l begi n
screechin g al l th e time .
You r brake s ma y sometime s squea l
o r squea k whe n yo u appl y the m
lightly . D o no t confus e thi s wit h th e
brak e wea r indicators . The y mak e a
ver y audibl e "screeching. "
Drivin g
Th
e Brakin g Syste m
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 hazard.
Thi s i s sometime s referre d t o a s
"stomp and steer."
Yo u wil l fee l a pulsatio n in th e brak e
peda l whe n th e AB S activates , an d
yo u ma y hea r som e noise . Thi s i s
normal , i t i s th e AB S rapidl y
pumpin g th e brakes .
Activatio n varie s wit h th e amoun t o f
tractio n you r tire s have . O n dr y
pavement , yo u wil l nee d to pres s o n
th e brak e peda l ver y har d befor e yo u
activat e th e ABS . However , yo u ma y
fee l th e AB S activat e immediatel y i f
yo u ar e tryin g to sto p o n sno w o r ice .
Important Safety Reminders
AB S doe s no t reduc e th e tim e o r
distanc e i t take s t o sto p th e car , i t
onl y help s wit h steerin g contro l
durin g braking . Yo u shoul d alway s
maintai n a saf e followin g distanc e
fro m othe r vehicles .
AB S wil l no t preven t a ski d tha t
result s fro m changin g directio n
abruptly , suc h a s tryin g to tak e a
corne r to o fas t o r makin g a sudde n
lan e change . Alway s driv e a t a safe ,
pruden t spee d fo r th e roa d an d
weathe r conditions .
AB S canno t preven t a los s o f
stability . Alway s stee r moderatel y
whe n yo u ar e brakin g hard . Sever e
o r shar p steerin g whee l movemen t
ca n stil l caus e you r ca r t o vee r int o
oncomin g traffi c o r of f th e road . A
ca r wit h AB S ma y requir e a
longe r distanc e t o sto p o n loos e o r
uneve n surfaces , suc h a s grave l o r
snow , tha n a car withou t anti-lock .
Slo w dow n an d allo w a greate r
distanc e betwee n car s unde r thos e
conditions .
Drivin g
Maintenanc
e Schedul e
Th e Maintenanc e Schedul e specifie s
ho w ofte n yo u shoul d hav e you r ca r
service d an d wha t thing s nee d
attention . I t i s essentia l tha t yo u hav e
you r ca r service d a s schedule d to
retai n it s hig h leve l o f safety ,
dependability , an d emission s contro l
performance .
Th
e service s an d tim e o r distanc e
interval s show n in th e maintenanc e
schedul e assum e yo u wil l us e you r
ca r a s norma l transportatio n fo r you r
passenge r an d possessions . Yo u
shoul d als o follo w thes e
recommendations :
Avoi d exceedin g you r car' s loa d
limit . Thi s put s exces s stres s o n
th e engine , brakes , an d man y
othe r part s o f you r car . Th e loa d
limi t i s show n o n th e labe l o n th e
driver' s doorjamb .
Operat e you r ca r o n reasonabl e
road s withi n th e lega l spee d limit . Driv
e you r ca r regularl y ove r a
distanc e o f severa l mile s
(kilometers) .
Alway
s us e unleade d gasolin e wit h
th e prope r octan e ratin g (se e pag e
116 ). Whic
h Schedul e t o Follow :
Servic e you r ca r accordin g t o th e
tim e an d mileag e period s o n on e o f
th e Maintenanc e Schedule s o n th e
followin g pages . Selec t th e schedul e
fo r "Sever e Conditions " i f mos t o f
you r drivin g is don e unde r on e o r
mor e o f th e condition s liste d o n tha t
page . Otherwise , follo w th e schedul e
fo r "Norma l Conditions. "
Maintenanc e
Inde
x
Accessorie s
Installation................................. . 12 2
Accessor y Powe r Socket............... . 8 2
ACCESSOR Y (Ignitio n Ke y
Position)....................................... 61
Additives , Engin e Oil.................... . 15 8
Airba g (SRS)..................................... . 9
Ai r Cleane r Element..................... . 17 2
Ai r Conditioning.............................. . 8 6
Maintenance.............................. . 18 2
Usage........................................... 86
Ai r Outlet s (Vents)......................... . 8 8
Ai r Pressure , Tires....................... . 18 5
Alarm , Anti-theft........................... . 11 4
Alcoho l i n Gasoline....................... . 25 0
Aluminu m Wheels , Cleaning....... . 20 6
Antifreeze...................................... . 16 1
Anti-loc k Brake s (ABS )
Indicato r Light.................... 45, 13 9
Operation................................... . 13 7
Anti-thef t Steerin g Colum n Loc k . . 6 0
Anti-thef t System.......................... . 11 4
Appearanc e Care.......................... . 20 3
Audi o Panel...................................... . 8 2
Audi
o System.................................. . 9 4
Automati c Ca r Washes................ . 20 4
Automati c Spee d Control............... . 5 5
Back-u p Lam p Replacement........ . 19 8
Batter y
Chargin g Syste m
Indicator........................... 44, 22 9
Jum p Starting............................ . 22 2
Maintenance.............................. . 17 7
Specifications............................ . 24 7
Befor e Driving.............................. . 11 5
Belts , Seat......................................... 8
Beverag e Holder............................. . 8 2
Bod y Repair................................... . 21 1
Brakes............................................ . 13 6
Anti-loc k Syste m (ABS)........... . 13 7
Break-in , Ne w Lining s ............. . 11 6
Bul b Replacement.................... . 19 8
Fluid........................................... . 17 0
Parking......................................... . 8 1
Syste m Indicator......................... . 4 4
Wea r Indicators , Dis c .............. . 13 6
Brakin g System............................. . 13 6 Break-in
, Ne w Car........................ . 11 6
Brightnes s Control , Instruments.. . 5 2
Brights , Headlights........................ . 5 1
Bul b Replacement......................... . 19 4
Back-u p Lights.......................... . 19 8
Brak e Lights.............................. . 19 8
Headlights................................. . 19 4
Licens e Plat e Lights................. . 20 0
Sid e Marke r Light s .................. . 19 6
Specifications............................ . 24 7
Tur n Signa l Lights.................... . 19 6
Bulbs , Halogen.............................. . 19 4
Capacitie s Chart............................ . 24 6
Carbo n Monoxid e Hazard............. . 3 9
Cargo , Carrying............................ . 12 4
CAUTION , Explanatio n of............ ii
C D Changer................................... . 10 8
Certificatio n Label........................ . 24 4
Chains............................................ . 19 1
CONTINUED