ÎÎ
ÎÎ
such as trying to take a
corner too f ast or making a sudden
lane change. Always drive at a safe,
prudent speed f or the road and
weather conditions.
Always steer moderately
when you are braking hard. Severe
or sharp steering wheel movement
can still cause your car to veer into
oncoming traffic or off the road. it
only helps with steering control
during braking. You should always
maintain a saf e f ollowing distance
f rom other vehicles.
on loose or
uneven surf aces, such as gravel or snow, than a vehicle without anti-
lock. Slow down and allow a greater
distance between vehicles under
those conditions.
The ABS is self -checking. If anything
goes wrong, the ABS indicator on
the instrument panel comes on (see
page ). This means the anti-lock
f unction of the braking system has
shut down. The brakes still work like
a conventional system without anti-lock, providing normal stopping
ability. You should have the dealer
inspect your car as soon as possible.
The TCS indicator will come on
alongwiththeABSindicator.
57
On U.S. LX V-6 and all EX V-6 models
Import ant Saf et y Reminders
A BS Indicat or
A BS will not prevent a skid that
results f rom changing direction
abruptly,
A BS cannot prevent a loss of
stability.
A BS does not reduce the time or
distance it takes to stop the car,
A vehicle with A BS may require a
longer distance to stop
The Braking System
Driving221
UU..SS..iinnddiiccaattoorrsshhoowwnn
AABBSSIINNDDIICCAATTOORR
You should still install winter tires on
your vehicle during the winter. Make
sure to use the same size originally
supplied with vehicle. Exercise the
samecautioninwinterdrivingasyou
would if your vehicle was not
equipped with TCS.
When starting out or driving at low
speeds on a loose or slippery road
surface, you may notice that the
vehicle does not respond to the
accelerator in the same way it does
at other times. This is a sign TCS is
activating. You will see the TCS
indicator light f lash. Driving with the compact spare tire
installed (see page ) may
activate the TCS. You should turn of f
the system.
If the brakes overheat while TCS is
activating, the TCS indicator will
stop flashing and stay on temporarily.
This indicates that TCS has turned
off. After the brakes have cooled
down (usually f or about 10 minutes),
TCSwillturnbackonandthe
indicator will turn of f .
Driving with TCS requires no special
skills or technique. The TCS does
not control your vehicle’s whole
braking system and cannot prevent
skidding if you enter a corner too
f ast. It is still your responsibility to
drive at reasonable speeds and to
leave a sufficient margin of safety.
TCS monitors the speed of all f our
wheels. When it senses a f ront wheel
losing traction, it applies braking to
that wheel. The TCS indicator
f lashes when this occurs.
Your Honda is equipped with a
Traction Control System (TCS) to
assist you in maintaining traction
while driving slowly on loose or
slippery surf aces. The TCS assists
only in low-speed, low-traction
conditions; up to approximately 18
mph (30 km/h).
312On LX V-6 and EX V-6 models
Traction Control System
Driving222
TTCCSSIINNDDIICCAATTOORR
The Traction Control System turns
on every time you start the engine,
even if you turned it of f the last time
you drove the vehicle.
This switch is under the side vent. It
letsyouturntheTractionControl
System on and of f . You cannot turn
of f the TCS while the TCS indicator
light is f lashing. Deactivate the system by pressing
the TCS On/Off switch. The TCS
indicator light comes on as a
reminder. Pressing the switch again
turns the system back on.
The TCS indicator comes on or
f lashes under the f ollowing condi-
tions:
When you turn the ignition switch
to ON (II).
When you manually turn of f TCS.
It f lashes when TCS is regulating
wheelspin.
If the system’s diagnostics senses
a problem with TCS, the indicator
will come on and stay on.
If the brakes overheat, the
indicator will come on.
CONT INUED
TCS ON/OFF Switch TCS Indicator
Traction Control System
Driving223
µ
CONT INUED
Rain, f og, and snow conditions
require a dif f erent driving technique
because of reduced traction and
visibility. Keep your car well-
maintained and exercise greater
caution when you need to drive in
bad weather. The cruise control
should not be used in these
conditions.Always drive
slower than you would in dry
weather. It takes your car longer to
react, even in conditions that may
seem just barely damp. Apply
smooth, even pressure to all the
controls. Abrupt steering wheel
movements or sudden, hard appli-
cation of the brakes can cause loss of
control in wet weather. Be extra
cautious f or the f irst f ew miles
(kilometers) of driving while you
adjust to the change in driving
conditions. This is especially true in
snow. A person can f orget some
snow-driving techniques during the
summer months. Practice is needed
to relearn those skills. Exercise extra caution when driving
in rain af ter a long dry spell. Af ter
months of dry weather, the f irst
rains bring oil to the surf ace of the
roadway, making it slippery.
Driving in Bad Weather
Driving
Driving T echnique
225
This section also includes
Maintenance Schedules f or normal
driving and severe driving conditions,
a Maintenance Record, and instruc-
tions f or simple maintenance tasks
you may want to take care of
yourself .
If you have the skills and tools to per-
f orm more complex maintenance
tasks on your Honda, you may want
to purchase the Service Manual. See
page f or inf ormation on how to
obtain a copy, or see your Honda
dealer.
This section explains why it is
important to keep your car well
maintained and to f ollow basic
maintenance saf ety precautions.
......................
Maintenance Saf ety . 236
.
Important Safety Precautions . 237
.................
Maintenance Schedule . 238
...
Required Maintenance Record . 245
.......
Owner Maintenance Checks . 247
..............................
Fluid Locations . 248
......................................
Engine Oil . 250
..................................
Adding Oil . 250
....................
Recommended Oil . 250
..............................
Synthetic Oil . 251
....................................
Additives . 252
.....
Changing the Oil and Filter . 252
.............................
Cooling System . 255
............
Adding Engine Coolant . 255
.......
Replacing Engine Coolant . 257
....................
Windshield Washers . 262
.......................
Transmission Fluid . 263
Automatic .........................
Transmission . 263
5-speed Manual .........................
Transmission . 265
................
Brake and Clutch Fluid . 267
............................
Brake System . 267
...........................
Clutch System . 268
..............................
Power Steering . 268
.....................
Air Cleaner Element . 269 ....................................
Hood Latch . 272
....................................
Spark Plugs . 272
..............................
Replacement . 272
............................
Specif ications . 273
...........................................
Battery . 276
.................................
Wiper Blades . 279
..............
Air Conditioning System . 281
..................
Dust and Pollen Filter . 282
.....................................
Drive Belts . 282
....................................
Timing Belt . 283
...............................................
Tires . 283
......................................
Inf lation . 284
..................................
Inspection . 286
..............................
Maintenance . 286
.............................
Tire Rotation . 287
...
Replacing Tires and Wheels . 287
......................
Wheels and Tires . 288
..........................
Winter Driving . 289
.............................
Snow Tires . 289
............................
Tire Chains . 289
.............................................
Lights . 290
........................
Replacing Bulbs . 292
...........................
Storing Your Car . 301
359
Maintenance
Maint enance235
Be sure
there is adequate ventilation
whenever you operate the engine.
Let the
engine and exhaust system cool
bef ore touching any parts.
Do
not run the engine unless in-
structed to do so. Read the instructions before you
begin, and make sure you have the
tools and skills required.
Bef ore you begin any maintenance,
make sure your car is parked on
level ground and that the parking
brake is set. Also, be sure the engine
is of f . This will help to eliminate
several potential hazards:
You should wear eye protection and
protective clothing when working
near the battery or when using
compressed air.
To reduce the possibility of f ire or
explosion, be caref ul when working
around gasoline or batteries. Use a
commercially available degreaser or
parts cleaner, not gasoline, to clean
parts. Keep cigarettes, sparks, and
flames away from the battery and all
f uel-related parts.
Maintenance Saf ety
Maint enance
Important Saf ety Precautions
Carbon monoxide poisoning
f rom engine exhaust.
Burns f rom hot parts.
Injury f rom moving parts.
237
The services and time or distance
intervals shown in the maintenance
schedule assume you will use your
vehicle as normal transportation f or
passengers and their possessions.
You should also f ollow these
recommendations:
The Maintenance Schedule specif ies
how of ten you should have your car
serviced and what things need
attention. It is essential that you have
your car serviced as scheduled to
retain its high level of saf ety,
dependability, and emissions control
perf ormance.
Avoidexceedingyourcar’sload
limit.Thisputsexcessstresson
the engine, brakes, and many
other parts of your car. The load
limit is shown on the label on the
driver’s doorjamb.
Operate your car on reasonable
roads within the legal speed limit.
Drive your car regularly over a
distance of several miles
(kilometers).
Always use unleaded gasoline with
theproperoctanerating(seepage). Service your car according to the
time and mileage periods on one of
the Maintenance Schedules on the
f ollowing pages. Select the schedule
f or ‘‘Severe Conditions’’ if most of
your driving is done under one or
more of the conditions listed on that
page. Otherwise, f ollow the schedule
f or ‘‘Normal Conditions.’’
194
Maintenance Schedule
Maint enance
Which Schedule to Follow:
238
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Youshouldcheckthefollowing
items at the specif ied intervals. If
you are unsure of how to perf orm
any check, turn to the page given.
Engine oil level Check every
time you fill the fuel tank. See
page .
Engine coolant level Check the
radiator reserve tank every time
you f ill the f uel tank. See page .
Windshield washer f luid Check
the level in the reservoir monthly.
If weather conditions cause you to
use the washers f requently, check
the reservoir each time you stop
f or f uel. See page .Lights Check the operation of
the headlights, parking lights,
taillights, high-mount brake light,
turn signals, brake lights, and
license plate lights monthly. See
page .
Tires Check the tire pressure
monthly. Examine the tread f or
wear and foreign objects. See page
.
Automatic transmission Check
the f luid level monthly. See page .
Brakes Check the f luid level
monthly. See page . 198
200
262
263 267 283
290
Owner Maintenance Checks
Maint enance247