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.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 the vehicle speed is low
enough that you will not activate the
engine speed limiter in the lower
gear. On EX and LX models, make
sure the engine speed will not go into
the tachometer’s red zone in the
lower gear bef ore downshif ting.
5-speed Manual T ransmission
Driving180
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.
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)
27 mph (43 km/h)
39 mph (63 km/h)
53 mph (85 km/h)
Shif t up
1st to 2nd
2nd to 3rd 3rd to 4th4th to 5th 9mph(14km/h)
20 mph (32 km/h)
33 mph (53 km/h)
48 mph (77 km/h) If you exceed the maximum speed
f or the gear you are in, 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
engine speed by upshif ting or
slowing down.
Bef ore downshif ting, make sure the
vehicle speed is low enough that you
will not activate the engine speed
limiter in the lower gear.
Cruise from acceleration
On EX and LX models
On DX model
5-speed Manual T ransmission
Driving
Recommended Shif t Points Engine Speed L imiter
181
µ
µ
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.
To shif t to Second,
pressthereleasebuttononthefront
of the shif t lever. This position locks
thetransmissioninsecondgear.It
does not downshif t to f irst gear
when you come to a stop. Second
gives you more power when climbing,
and increased engine braking when
going down steep hills. Use second
gear when starting out on a slippery
surf ace or in deep snow. It will help
reduce wheelspin.
If you exceed the maximum speed
f or the gear you are in, 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
engine speed by upshif ting or
slowing down.
This position is similar
to D, except only the first three
gears are selected. Use D to provide
engine braking when going down a
steep hill. D can also keep the
transmission f rom cycling between
third and f ourth gears in stop-and-go
driving.
ForfasteraccelerationwheninD or
D, you can get the transmission to
automatically downshif t by pushing
the accelerator pedal to the floor.
The transmission will shif t down one
or two gears, depending on your
speed.
3
3
3
On EX and LX models
On DX model
Automatic Transmission
Driving
Engine Speed L imiter
Second (2)
Drive (D )3
185
The f luid level should be between
theMINandMAXmarksontheside
of the reservoir. If the level is at or
below the MIN mark, your brake
system needs attention. Have the
brake system inspected f or leaks or
worn brake pads.
Always use Honda Heavy Duty
Brake Fluid DOT 3. If it is not
available, you should use only DOT 3
or DOT 4 f luid, f rom a sealed
container, as a temporary
replacement. However, the use of
any non-Honda brake fluid can cause
corrosion and decrease the lif e of the
system. Have the brake system
f lushed and ref illed with Honda
Heavy Duty Brake Fluid DOT 3 as
soon as possible.
Check the f luid level in the reser-
voirs monthly. There are up to two
reservoirs, depending on the model.
They are:
Brake f luid reservoir (all models)
Clutch f luid reservoir
(manual transmission only)
Brake f luid marked DOT 5 is not
compatible with your car’s braking
system and can cause extensive
damage.
The brake f luid should be replaced
according to the time recommenda-
tion in the maintenance schedule.
Brake and Clutch Fluid
Maint enance
Brake System
222
MMAAXX
MMIINN
µ
If the terminals are severely cor-
roded, clean them with baking soda
and water. Then use a wrench to
loosen and remove the cables f rom
the terminals. Always disconnect the
negative ( ) cable f irst and recon-
nect it last. Clean the battery termi-
nals with a terminal cleaning tool or
wire brush. Reconnect and tighten
the cables, then coat the terminals
with grease. If you need to connect the battery to
a charger, disconnect both cables to
prevent damage to the car’s
electrical system.
If your car’s battery is disconnected
or goes dead, the audio system will
disableitself.Thenexttimeyouturn
on the radio you will see ‘‘ ’’
in the f requency display. Use the
Preset buttons to enter the five-digit
code (see page ).
When the battery is disconnected,
the clock setting in the audio system
will be canceled. You will need reset
the clock according to the
instructions of the audio system.157On all models
On the U.S. EX, and Canadian LX and
DX-GOP models
Battery
Maint enance231
The battery gives off explosive
hydrogen gas during normaloperation.
A spark or flame can cause the
battery to explode with enough
force to kill or seriously hurt you.
Wear protective clothing and a
face shield, or have a skilled
mechanic do the batterymaintenance. Charging the battery with the cables
connected can seriously damage your
car’s electronic controls. Detach the
battery cables bef ore connecting the
battery to a charger.
To replace it:Open the glove box. Remove the
hooks on the side panels by pulling
out on the tabs. Pivot the glove
box out of the way.
The dust and pollen f ilter removes
pollen and dust that is brought in
f rom the outside through the heating
andcoolingsystem.
This f ilter should be replaced every
30,000 miles (48,000 km) under
normal conditions. It should be
replaced every 15,000 miles (24,000
km) if you drive primarily in urban
areas that have high concentrations
of soot in the air f rom industry and
diesel-powered vehicles. Replace it
more of ten if air f low f rom the
heating and cooling system becomes
less than usual.
The dust and pollen f ilter is located
behind the glove box.
Remove the dust and pollen f ilter
cover by pushing in on the lock tab,
then pulling the cover toward you.
1. 2.
CONT INUED
Standard f or LX and EX models in
the U.S., and LX and DX-GOP models inCanadaOptional f or other models
Maint enance
Replacement
Dust and Pollen Filter
235
HHOOOOKKSS
TTAABB
CCOOVVEERR
The following chart shows the
recommended cold tire pressures f or
most normal driving conditions and
speeds.These pressures are also given on
thetireinformationlabelonthe
driver’s doorjamb.
Tubeless tires have some ability to
self -seal if they are punctured.
However, because leakage is of ten
very slow, you should look closely
for punctures if a tire starts losing
pressure.
Honda strongly recommends that
you not drive f aster than posted
speed limits and conditions allow. If
you decide it is safe to drive at high
speeds, be sure to adjust the cold tire
pressuresasshowninthenext
column. If you do not adjust the tire
pressure, excessive heat can build up
and cause sudden tire f ailure.When you return to normal speed
driving, be sure to readjust the tire
pressure f or normal driving. You
should wait until the tires are cold
bef ore adjusting the tire pressure.
Tire Pressures f or high speed
driving are the same as f or normal
driving.
Thecompactsparetirepressureis:
(DX, U.S. LX)
(DX, U.S. LX)
(EX, Canadian LX)
Cold Tire Pressure
for Speeds over 100
mph (160 km/h)
Tire Size
Tire Size Cold Tire Pressure for Normal Driving
Tire Size Cold Tire Pressure for Normal Driving
DX and U.S. LX models only EX and Canadian LX models only
Tires
Maint enance
Recommended T ire Pressures f or
Normal Driving
T ire Pressure A djust ment f or HighSpeed Driving
239
35 psi (240 kPa , 2.4kgf/cm
)
P185/70R14 87S
P185/70R14 87S 30 psi (210 kPa , 2.1 kgf/cm
)
30 psi (210 kPa , 2.1 kgf/cm
)
P185/65R15 86H
60 psi (420 kPa , 4.2 kgf/cm)
µµ
Each time you press and release the side of the SEEK/SKIP bar,
the system skips forward to the
beginning of the next track. Press
the sidetoskipbackwardtothe
beginning of the current track. Press
it again to skip to the beginning of
the previous track.
You can use the SEEK/SKIP bar
while a disc is playing to select
passages and change tracks.
To move rapidly within a track, press
andholdtheSEEK/SKIPbar.Press
the side to move f orward. You
will see CUE in the display. Press the
side to move backward. You
will see REW displayed. Release the
bar when the system reaches the
point you want. To activate the Repeat
f eature, press and release the RPT
button. You will see RPT in the
display. The system continuously
replays the current track. Press the
RPT button again to turn it off.
This feature,
when activated, plays the tracks on
the CD in random order, rather than
in the order they are recorded on the
CD. To activate Random Play, press
the RDM button. You will see RDM
in the display. The system will then
select and play tracks randomly.
This continues until you deactivate
RandomPlaybypressingtheRDM
button again.
If you eject the disc, but do not
remove it from the slot, the system
will automatically reload the disc
af ter 15 seconds and put the CD
player in pause mode. To begin
playing the disc, press the CD button.
Press the eject button to remove the
disc f rom the drive.
If you turn the system of f while a CD
is playing, either with the PWR/VOL
knob or by turning off the ignition,
the disc will stay in the drive. When
youturnthesystembackon,theCD
will begin playing where it lef t of f .
You can switch to the radio while a
CD is playing by pressing the AM/
FM button. Press the CD button to
return to playing the CD. The CD
will begin playing where it lef t of f .
When the system reaches the end of
the disc, it will return to the begin-
ning and play that disc again.
Audio System
Comf ort and Convenience Feat ures
REPEAT
RANDOM PLAY
148