This section gives you important
inf ormation about how to protect
yourself and your passengers. It
shows you how to use seat belts
properly. It explains your Supple-
mental Restraint System. And it tells
you how to properly restrain inf ants
andchildreninyourcar..........
Important Safety Precautions . 6
.............
Your Car’s Saf ety Features . 7
.......................................
Seat Belts . 8
.........................................
Airbags . 10
.....................
Seats & Seat-Backs . 11
..........................
Head Restraints . 11
..................................
Door Locks . 11
........
Pre-Drive Saf ety Checklist . 12
............................
Protecting Adults . 13
.....
1. Close and Lock the Doors . 13 ...........
2. Adjust the Front Seats . 13
............
3. Adjust the Seat-Backs . 15
...
4. Adjust the Head Restraints . 16
5. Fasten and Position the Seat
.....................................
Belts . 16
....
6. Adjust the Steering Wheel . 18
7. Maintain a Proper Sitting
................................
Position . 19
.....
Advice f or Pregnant Women . 20
...
Additional Safety Precautions . 20
........................
Protecting Children . 22
All Children Must Be ...............................
Restrained . 22
Children Should Sit in the Back ...........................................
Seat . 23
The Passenger’s Front Airbag Poses Serious Risks to ...............................
Children . 23
If You Must Drive with Several ...................................
Children . 25
If a Child Requires Close ..................................
Attention . 26
...
Additional Safety Precautions . 26
General Guidelines f or Using
...............................
Child Seats . 27
.......................
Protecting Inf ants . 31 .........
Protecting Small Children . 35
.......
Protecting Larger Children . 38
Using Child Seats with
.....................................
Tethers . 42
.............................
Using LATCH . 43
Additional Inf ormation About Your .................................
Seat Belts . 45
..
Seat Belt System Components . 45
......................
Lap/Shoulder Belt . 45
Automatic Seat Belt
...............................
Tensioners . 46
...............
Seat Belt Maintenance . 47
Additional Inf ormation About ...........................
Your Airbags . 48
........................
SRS Components . 48
How Your Front Airbags
.........................................
Work . 48
...
How Your Side Airbags Work . 50
How the SRS Indicator Light
.......................................
Works . 51
How the Side Airbag Cut-of f ...........
Indicator Light Works . 52
.............................
Airbag Service . 53
...
Additional Safety Precautions . 53
.............
Carbon Monoxide Hazard . 54
...................................
Saf ety Labels . 55
Driver and Passenger Saf ety
Driver and Passenger Saf ety
5
During this period:Avoid full-throttle starts and rapid
acceleration.
Avoidhardbraking.Newbrakes
need to be broken-in by moderate
use f or the f irst 200 miles (300
km). Your Honda is designed to operate
on unleaded gasoline with a pump
octane number of 86 or higher. Use
of a lower octane gasoline can cause
a persistent, heavy metallic rapping
noise in the engine that can lead to
mechanical damage.
We recommend gasolines containing
detergent additives that help prevent
f uel system and engine deposits.
In Canada, some gasolines contain
an octane-enhancing additive called
MMT. If you use such gasolines,
your emission control system
perf ormance may deteriorate and
the Malf unction Indicator Lamp on
your instrument panel may turn on.
If this happens, contact your
authorized Honda dealer f or service.
Help assure your car’s f uture
reliability and perf ormance by paying
extra attention to how you drive
during the f irst 600 miles (1,000 km).
Using gasoline containing lead will
damage your car’s emissions
controls. This contributes to air
pollution.
Youshouldfollowthesesamere-
commendations with an overhauled
or exchanged engine, or when the
brakes are relined. Do not change the oil until the
recommended time or mileage
intervalshowninthemaintenance
schedule.
Break-in Period, Gasoline
Bef ore Driving
Break-in Period Gasoline
164
Shift to Park or Neutral and set
the parking brake. Pull the hood
release handle located under the
lower lef t corner of the dashboard.
The hood will pop up slightly.
Screw the f uel f ill cap back on,
tighten it until it clicks several
times. If you do not properly
tighten the cap, the Malfunction
Indicator Lamp may come on (see
page ).
Push the f uel f ill door closed until
it latches.
Standing in f ront of the car, put
your f ingers between the f ront
edge of the hood and the f ront
grille. The hood latch handle is
above the ‘‘H’’ logo. Push this
handle up until it releases the
hood. Lif t the hood.
1.
2.
5. 6.
281
Service Station Procedures
Bef ore Driving
Opening the Hood
166
HHOOOODDRREELLEEAASSEEHHAANNDDLLEE
LLAATTCCHH
This indicator should come on when
the ignition switch is ON (II), and go
out af ter the engine starts. If it
comes on brightly when the engine
is running, it indicates that the
charging system has stopped
charging the battery.By eliminating as much of the
electrical load as possible, you can
drive several miles (kilometers)
before the battery is too discharged
to keep the engine running. Drive to
a service station or garage where
you can get technical assistance.
Immediately turn of f all electrical
accessories: radio, heater, A/C, rear
def ogger, cruise control, etc. Try not
to use other electrically-operated
controls such as the power windows.
Keep the engine running and take
extra care not to stall it. Starting the
engine will discharge the battery
rapidly.
T aking Care of t he Unexpect ed
Charging System Indicator
280
CCHHAARRGGIINNGGSSYYSSTTEEMMIINNDDIICCAATTOORR
ÎÎ
ÎÎSlow down by shif ting to a lower
gear, and pull to the side of the road
when it is saf e. Because of the
longer distance needed to stop, it is
hazardous to drive the car. You
should have it towed, and repaired as
soon as possible. (Seeon page .)
If you must drive the car a short
distance in this condition, drive
slowly and cautiously.
If it comes on at any other time, it
indicates a problem with the car’s
brake system. In most cases, the
problem is a low f luid level in the
brake f luid reservoir. Press lightly on
the brake pedal to see if it f eels
normal. If it does, check the brake
f luid level the next time you stop at a
service station (see page ). If the
fluid level is low, take the car to your
dealer and have the brake system
inspected f or leaks or worn brake
pads.
However, if the brake pedal does not
f eel normal, you should take
immediate action. Because of the
brake system’s dual-circuit design, a
problem in one part of the system
will still give you braking at two
wheels. You will f eel the brake pedal
go down much f arther bef ore the car
begins to slow down, and you will
have to press harder on the pedal.
The distance needed to stop will be
much longer.
The Brake System Indicator
normallycomesonwhenyouturn
the ignition switch ON (II). It is a
reminder to check the parking brake.
It comes on and stays lit if you do not
f ully release the parking brake.
222
290Emergency
Towing
Brake System Indicator
T aking Care of t he Unexpect ed283
UU..SS..iinnddiiccaattoorrsshhoowwnn
BBRRAAKKEESSYYSSTTEEMMIINNDDIICCAATTOORR
Î
CONT INUED
.....................................
Tachometer . 66
Taillights, Changing
..................................
Bulbs . 250, 251
.
Taking Care of the Unexpected . 265
...................
Tape Player . 120, 132, 153
...............................
Saf ety Messages . ii
.....................................
Seat Belts . 8, 45
...............
Additional Information . 45
Automatic Seat Belt
...............................
Tensioners . 46
.....................................
Cleaning . 261
................
Lap/Shoulder Belt . 16, 45
................................
Maintenance . 47
......
Reminder Light and Beeper . 61
...................
System Components . 45
...............
Use During Pregnancy . 20
...
Wearing a Lap/Shoulder Belt . 16
........................
Seats, Adjusting the . 88
...............................
Serial Number . 294
...........................
Service Intervals . 198
...........................
Service Manual . 311
.........
Service Station Procedures . 165
..........
Setting the Clock . 119, 131, 143
.....
Shif t Lever Position Indicator . 182
........................
Shif t Lock Release . 186
..............................
Side Airbags . 10, 50
...................
Cut-of f Indicator . 52, 61
Side Marker Lights, Bulb ......................
Replacement . 248, 250
...............................
Signaling Turns . 72
.....................................
Snow Tires . 243 ...................
Solvent-type Cleaners . 258
................
Sound System . 114, 126, 138
Spare Tire
......................................
Inf lating . 266
............................
Specif ications . 297
................
Spark Plugs, Replacing . 227
....................
Specif ications Charts . 296
................................
Speed Control . 159
...................................
Speedometer . 66
.......................................
Spotlights . 103
..........
SRS, Additional Inf ormation . 48
...
Additional Safety Precautions . 53
.............................
Airbag Service . 53
How the Side Airbag Cut-of f
...........
Indicator Light Works . 52
How the SRS Indicator .......................................
Works . 51
How Your Front Airbags .........................................
Work . 48
...
How Your Side Airbags Work . 50
........................
SRS Components . 48
.............................
SRS Indicator . 51, 61
....
START (Ignition Key Position) . 81
..............
State Emissions Testing . 305 .......................
Starting the Engine . 179
In Cold Weather at High ..................................
Altitude . 179
................
With a Dead Battery . 274
........
Steam Coming f rom Engine . 276
Steering Wheel
..................................
Adjustment . 76
.............
Anti-theft Column Lock . 80
...
Stereo Sound System . 114, 126, 138
...........................
Storing Your Car . 256
Supplemental Restraint
................................
System . 10, 48
......................................
Servicing . 53
.........................
SRS Indicator . 51, 61
...................
System Components . 48
..................................
Synthetic Oil . 210
Index
T
VII