Page 206 of 375

Store or secure all items that could
be thrown around and hurt
someone during a crash.
Be sure items placed on the f loor
behind the f ront seats cannot roll
under the seats and interf ere with
the driver’s ability to operate the
pedals, or with the proper
operation of the seats.
Keep the glove box closed while
driving. If the lid is open, a
passenger could injure their knees
during a crash or sudden stop.
This f igure includes the total weight
of all occupants, cargo, accessories,
and the tongue weight if you are
towing a trailer.
The f inal number is the total weight
of cargo you can carry.
If you are towing a trailer, add the
tongue weight to the number
above. Add up the weight of all occupants.
To f igure out how much cargo you
can carry: The maximum load for your car is
850 lbs (395 kg).
Subtract the total f rom 850 lbs
(395 kg). Do not put any items on top of the
rear shelf . They can block your
view and be thrown around the car
during a crash.
Carrying Items in the Passenger
Compartment
Load Limit
Carrying Cargo
Bef ore Driving203
Overloading or improper
loading can affect handling and
stability and cause a crash in
which you can be hurt or killed.
Follow all load limits and other
loading guidelines in this
manual.
Page 207 of 375
Distribute cargo evenly on the
f loor of the trunk, placing the
heaviest items on the bottom and
as far forward as possible.
If you can carry any items on a
roof rack,besurethetotalweight
of the rack and the items does not
exceed the maximum allowable
weight. Please contact your Honda
dealer f or f urther inf ormation.You can use the cargo net to secure
small items in the trunk.
If you carry large items that
prevent you f rom closing the trunk
lid, exhaust gas can enter the
passenger area. To avoid the
possibility of carbon monoxide
poisoning, f ollow the instructions
on page . If youfolddownthebackseat,tie
down items that could be thrown
about the car during a crash or
sudden stop. 52
On EX and EX- V6models
Carrying Cargo in the Trunk or on
a Roof Rack Cargo Net
Carrying Cargo
Bef ore Driving204
Page 228 of 375
Your Honda has been designed
primarily to carry passengers and
their cargo. You can use it to tow a
trailer if you caref ully observe the
load limits, use the proper equipment,
and f ollow the guidelines in this
section.The total
weight of the trailer and
everything loaded in it must not
exceed 1,000 lbs (450 kg). Towing
a load that is too heavy can
seriously af f ect your vehicle’s
handling and perf ormance. It can
also damage the engine and
drivetrain. The weight that
the tongue of a f ully-loaded trailer
puts on the hitch should be
approximately 10 percent of the
trailer weight. Too little tongue
load can make the trailer unstable
and cause it to sway. Too much
tongue load reduces f ront-tire
traction and steering control.
CONT INUED
T otal T railer Weight: T ongue L oad:
Load Limits
Towing a Trailer
Driving225
Page 229 of 375

The total weight of the vehicle, all
occupants, all cargo, and the
tongue load must not exceed:
To achieve a proper tongue load,
start by loading 60 percent of the
load toward the front of the trailer
and 40 percent toward the rear, then
re-adjust the load as needed.
The total weight of the vehicle, all
occupants, all cargo, the
tongue load must not exceed:
(Special Edition and U.S. LX)
(EX)
(LX-V6, EX-V6) (Special Edition and U.S. LX)
(EX)
(Special Edition and U.S. LX-V6,
EX-V6)
on the f ront axle
(Special Edition and U.S. LX)
(EX)
(LX-V6, EX-V6)
on the rear axle
and
Towing a Trailer
Driving
Gross Axle Weight Rating
(GA WR):
Gross Vehicle Weight Rating
(GVWR):
226
3,990 lbs (1,810 kg)
4,035 lbs (1,830 kg)
4,235 lbs (1,920 kg) 2,160 lbs (980 kg)
2,185 lbs (990 kg)
2,315 lbs (1,050 kg)
1,895 lbs (860 kg)
1,920 lbs (870 kg)
1,940 lbs (880 kg)Exceeding load limits or
improperly loading your vehicle
and trailer can cause a crash in
which you can be seriously
injured or killed.
Check the loading of your
vehicle and trailer carefully
beforestartingtodrive.
Page 230 of 375

Towing can require a variety of
equipment, depending on the size of
your trailer, how it will be used, and
how much load you are towing.
Discuss your needs with your trailer
sales or rental agency, and f ollow the
guidelines in the rest of this section.
Also make sure that all equipment is
properly installed and that it meets
f ederal, state, province, and local
regulations.
Any hitch used on your vehicle must
be properly bolted to the underbody.
The best way to conf irm that vehicle
and trailer weights are within limits
is to have them checked at a public
scale.
Using a suitable scale or a special
tongue load gauge, check the tongue
load the f irst time you set up a
towing combination (a f ully-loaded
vehicle and trailer), then recheck the
tongue load whenever the conditions
change.
Always use saf ety chains. Make sure
they are secured to both the trailer
and hitch, and that they cross under
the tongue so they can catch the
trailer if it becomes unhitched.
Leave enough slack to allow the
trailer to turn corners easily, but do
not let the chains drag on the ground.
CONT INUED
T owing Equipment and
A ccessories
Checking L oads
Hitches Saf et y Chains
Towing a Trailer
Driving227
Page 231 of 375

Honda recommends that any trailer
having a total weight of 1,000 lbs
(450 kg) or more be equipped with
its own electric or surge-type brakes.
If you choose electric brakes, be
sure they are electronically actuated.
Do not attempt to tap into your
vehicle’s hydraulic system. No
matter how successf ul it may seem,
any attempt to attach trailer brakes
to your vehicle’s hydraulic system
will lower braking ef f ectiveness and
create a potential hazard.Since lighting and wiring vary in
trailer type and brand, you should
also have a qualif ied mechanic install
a suitable connector between the
vehicle and the trailer.
If you use a converter, you can get
the connector and pins that mate
with the connector in your car f rom
your Honda dealer. Your car has a trailer lighting
connector located in the trunk by the
lef t taillight. Ref er to the drawing
above f or the wiring color code and
purpose of each pin.
Trailer Brakes Trailer Lights
Towing a Trailer
Driving228
G GRROOU UNNDD
(
( B
BL LAA C
CKK)) B
BA
A C
CKK--U
UP P L
LIIGGH HT
T
(
( G
GR REEE
EN
N/ /B
BL LAA C
CKK)) L
LE
E F
FTT T
TU
UR RNN S
SIIGGN NAAL
L
(
( G
GR REEE
EN
N/ /B
BL LUUE E)
)
R
RI IGGH HT
T T
TU
UR RNN S
SIIGGN NAAL
L
(
( G
GR REEE
EN
N/ /Y
YE EL
LLLOOW W) ) T
T
A
A I
ILLL LIIGGH HT
T
(
( R
RE ED
D /
/B
BL LAA C
CKK))
B
BR
RAA K
KEE L
LIIGGH HT
T
(
( W
WH HI
ITT E
E/
/B
BL LAA C
CKK))
Page 232 of 375

Your vehicle tires and spare are
properly inf lated (see page ),
and the trailer tires and spare are
inflated as recommended by the
trailer maker.
When preparing to tow, and bef ore
driving away, be sure to check the
f ollowing:
The vehicle has been properly
serviced, and the tires, brakes,
suspension, and cooling system
are in good operating condition.
All weights and loads are within
limits (see pages and ).
Allitemsonandinthetrailerare
properly secured and cannot shif t
while you drive.
The lights and brakes on your
vehicle and the trailer are working
properly.
Many states and Canadian provinces
require special outside mirrors when
towing a trailer. Even if they don’t,
you should install special mirrors if
you cannot clearly see behind you, or
if the trailer creates a blind spot.
Askyourtrailersalesorrental
agency if any other items are
recommended or required f or your
towing situation.
Thehitch,safetychains,andany
other attachments are secure.225 226 283
Pre-T ow ChecklistAdditional Trailer Equipment
Towing a Trailer
Driving229
Page 233 of 375

The added weight, length, and
height of a trailer will af f ect your
vehicle’s handling and perf ormance,
so driving with a trailer requires
some special driving skills and
techniques.Make turns more slowly and wider
than normal. The trailer tracks a
smaller are than your vehicle, and it
canhitorrunoversomethingthe
vehicle misses. Allow more time and
distance f or braking. Do not brake or
turn suddenly as this could cause the
trailer to jackknif e or turn over.
When driving down hills, reduce
your speed and shif t down to 2nd
gear. Do not ‘‘ride’’ the brakes, and
remember it will take longer to slow
downandstopwhentowingatrailer.
Foryoursafetyandthesafetyof
others,taketimetopracticedriving
maneuvers bef ore heading f or the
open road, and f ollow the guidelines
discussed below.
When climbing hills, closely watch
your temperature gauge. If it nears
the red (Hot) mark, turn the air
conditioning of f , reduce speed and, if
necessary, pull to the side of the
road to let the engine cool.
If the automatic transmission shif ts
f requently between 3rd and 4th
gears while going up a hill, shif t to
D.If youmuststopwhenfacinguphill,
use the f oot brake or parking brake.
Do not try to hold the vehicle in
placebypressingontheaccelerator,
as this can cause the automatic
transmission to overheat.
Drive slower than normal in all
driving situations, and obey posted
speed limits f or vehicles with trailers.
If you have an automatic
transmission, use the D position
when towing a trailer on level roads.
D is the proper shif t lever position
to use when towing a trailer in hilly
terrain. (See ‘‘ ’’ in the
next column f or additional gear
inf ormation.)
3
4
3
Driving Saf ely With a T railer
T owing Speeds and Gears Making T urns and Braking
Driving on Hills
Driving on Hills
Towing a Trailer
Driving230