Page 203 of 375

Be sure electronic accessories do
not overload electrical circuits
(see page ).
Have the installer contact your
Honda dealer f or assistance bef ore
installing any electronic accessory.
If possible, have your dealer inspect
the f inal installation. Bef ore installing any accessory:
Modif ying your car, or installing
some non-Honda accessories, can
make your car unsaf e. Bef ore you
make any modif ications or add any
accessories,besuretoreadthe
f ollowing inf ormation.
Your dealer has genuine Honda
accessories that allow you to
personalize your car. These
accessories have been designed and
approved f or your car, and are
covered by warranty.
Non-Honda accessories are usually
designed f or universal applications.
Although aftermarket accessories
may f it on your car, they may not
meet f actory specif ications, and
could adversely af f ect your car’s
handling and stability. (See
‘‘Modif ications’’ on page f or
additional information.) When properly installed, cellular
phones, alarms, two-way radios, and
low-powered audio systems should
not interf ere with your car’s
computer-controlled systems, such
as the SRS and anti-lock brake
system.
However, if electronic accessories
are improperly installed, or exceed
your car’s electrical system capacity,
they can interfere with the operationof your car, or even cause the
airbags to deploy.
Make sure the accessory does not
obscure any lights, or interf ere
with proper car operation or
perf ormance.
201 333
A ccessories
A ccessories and Modif ications
Bef ore Driving200
Improper accessories or
modifications can affect your
car’s handling, stability and
performance, and cause a
crash in which you can be hurt
or killed.
Follow all instructions in this
owner’s manual regarding
accessories and modifications.
Page 204 of 375

In addition, any modif ications that
decrease ground clearance increase
the chance of undercarriage parts
striking a curb, speed bump, or other
raised object, which could cause
your airbags to deploy.
Do not modif y your steering wheel
or any other part of your
Supplemental Restraint System.
Modif ications could make the
system inef f ective.
Do not remove any original
equipment or modif y your car in any
way that would alter its design or
operation. This could make your car
unsaf e and illegal to drive.
For example, do not make any
modif ications that would change the
ride height of your car, or install
wheels and tires with a dif f erent
overall diameter.
Such modif ications can adversely
af f ect handling, and interf ere with
the operation of the car’s anti-lock
brakes and other systems.
Covering the outside edge of a
f ront seat-back, with a non-Honda
seat cover for example, could
prevent the airbag from inflating
properly.
Any object
attached to or placed on the covers
marked ‘‘SRS AIRBAG,’’ in the
center of the steering wheel and
on top of the dashboard, could
interf ere with the proper operation
of the airbags. Or, if the airbags
inf late, the objects could be
propelled inside the car and hurt
someone. If a side airbag
inflates,acupholderorotherhard
object attached on or near the
door could be propelled inside the
car and hurt someone.Only on models equipped with side
airbagsModif ications
Additional Saf ety Precautions
A ccessories and Modif ications
Bef ore Driving
Do not place any object s over t heoutsideedgeof afront seat-back.
Do not at t ach or place object s on the f ront airbag covers. Do not at t ach hard object s on or
near a door.
201
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 208 of 375

This section gives you tips on
starting the engine under various
conditions, and how to operate the
5-speed manual and automatic
transmissions. It also includes
important inf ormation on parking
your car, the braking system, the
Traction Control System, and facts
you need if you are planning to tow a
trailer.........................
Preparing to Drive .206
.......................
Starting the Engine .207
Starting in Cold Weather ....................
at High Altitude .208
....
5-speed Manual Transmission . 209
.....
Recommended Shif t Points . 210
..............
Engine Speed Limiter . 210
..............
Automatic Transmission . 210
.
Shif t Lever Position Indicator . 211
................
Shif t Lever Positions . 211
..............
Engine Speed Limiter . 214
....................
Shif t Lock Release . 214
...........................................
Parking .216
.....................
The Braking System .217
.............
Brake Wear Indicators . 217
...............
Brake System Design . 218
.......................
Anti-lock Brakes .218
Important Saf ety .........................
Reminders .219
........................
ABS Indicator .219
..............
Traction Control System . 220
...............
Driving in Bad Weather . 223
...........................
Towing a Trailer .225
Driving
Driving205
Page 209 of 375

Make sure all windows, mirrors,
and outside lights are clean and
unobstructed. Remove f rost, snow,
or ice.
Check that the hood and trunk are
f ully closed.Check the adjustment of the seat
(see page ).
Check the adjustment of the
inside and outside mirrors (see
page ).
Check the adjustment of the
steering wheel (see page ).
Make sure the doors are securely
closed and locked.
Fasten your seat belt. Check that
your passengers have f astened
their seat belts (see page ).Turn the ignition switch ON (II).
Check the indicator lights in the
instrument panel.
Start the engine (see page ).
Check the gauges and indicator
lights in the instrument panel (see
page ).
Check that any items you may be
carrying with you inside are stored
properly or f astened down
securely. Visually check the tires. If a tire
looks low, use a gauge to check its
pressure.
Youshoulddothefollowingchecks
and adjustments every day bef ore
you drive your car.
3.2.
1.
4. 5.
6.
7.
8.
9. 1510.
11.
12.
57
85
97 73 207
Preparing to Drive
Driving206
Page 212 of 375

Come to a full stop before you shift
into Reverse. You can damage the
transmission by trying to shif t into
Reverse with the car moving. Push
down the clutch pedal, and pause f or
a f ew seconds bef ore shif ting into
Reverse, or shif t into one of the
f orward gears f or a moment. This
stops the gears so they won’t ‘‘grind.’’
When slowing down, you can get
extra braking f rom the engine by
shifting to a lower gear. This extra
braking can help you maintain a safe
speed and prevent your brakes f rom
overheating while going down a
steep hill. Bef ore downshif ting,
make sure engine speed will not go
into the tachometer’s red zone in the
lower gear.
The manual transmission is syn-
chronizedinallforwardgearsfor
smooth operation. It has a lockout so
you cannot shift directly from Fifth
to Reverse. When shif ting up or
down,makesureyoupushtheclutch
pedal down all the way, shift to the
next gear, and let the pedal up
gradually. When you are not shif ting,
do not rest your f oot on the clutch
pedal. This can cause your clutch to
wear out faster.
Driving
5-speed Manual T ransmission
209
Rapid slowing or speeding-up
can cause loss of control on
slippery surfaces. If you crash,
you can be injured.
Use extra care when driving on
slippery surfaces.
Page 213 of 375

Your Honda’s transmission has f our
f orward speeds, and is electronically
controlled f or smoother shif ting. It
also has a ‘‘lock-up’’ torque converter
forbetterfueleconomy.Youmay
f eel what seems like another shif t
when the converter locks.
Drive in the highest gear that lets
the engine run and accelerate
smoothly. This will give you the best
f uel economy and ef f ective emis-
sions control. The f ollowing shif t
points are recommended:
If you exceed the maximum speed
f or the gear you are in, the engine
speed will enter into the tachometer’s
red zone. If this occurs, you may f eel
the engine cut in and out. This is
caused by a limiter in the engine’s
computer controls. The engine will
run normally when you reduce the
RPM below the red zone.
Bef ore downshif ting, make sure the
engine will not go into the
tachometer’s red zone.
Shif t up
1st to 2nd
2nd to 3rd 3rd to 4th4th to 5th Normal acceleration
15 mph (24 km/h)
28 mph (45 km/h)
41 mph (66 km/h)
52 mph (84 km/h)
Shif t up
1st to 2nd
2nd to 3rd 3rd to 4th4th to 5th Cruise acceleration
7mph(11km/h)
22 mph (35 km/h)
33 mph (53 km/h)
48 mph (77 km/h)
5-speed Manual T ransmission, A ut omat ic T ransmission
Driving
Automatic Transmission
Recommended Shif t Points Engine Speed L imiter
210
Page 215 of 375

µ
µ
To shif t to Reverse
f rom Park, see the explanation under
Park. To shif t to Reverse f rom
Neutral, come to a complete stop and
then shift. Press the release button
bef ore shif ting into Reverse f rom
Neutral.
This position mechani-
cally locks the transmission. Use
Park whenever you are turning of f or
starting the engine. To shif t out of
Park, you must press on the brake
pedal and have your f oot of f the
accelerator pedal. Press the release
button on the side of the shift lever
to move it.
If you have done all of the above and
still cannot move the lever out of
Park, see Shif t Lock Release on page .
You must also press the release
button to shift into Park. To avoid
transmission damage, come to a
complete stop bef ore shif ting into
Park. The shif t lever must be in Park
bef ore you can remove the key f rom
the ignition switch. 214
To shift from:
PtoR
RtoP
NtoR
Dto2 2to1
1to2
2toD
DtoD DtoN
DtoD NtoD RtoN Do this:
Press the brake pedal and
press the release button.
Press the release button.
Move the lever.
3
3
34 4
43 4
Driving
Automatic Transmission
Reverse (R)
Park (P)
212