Excessive speed is a major f actor in
crash injuries and deaths. Generally,
the higher the speed the greater the
risk, but serious accidents can also
occur at lower speeds. Never drive
f aster than is saf e f or current
conditions, regardless of the
maximum speed posted.
While airbags can save lives, they
can cause serious or fatal injuries to
occupants who sit too close to them,
or are not properly restrained.
Inf ants, young children, and short
adults are at the greatest risk. Be
sure to f ollow all instructions and
warnings in this manual. (See page
.)
Having a tire blowout or a
mechanical f ailure can be extremely
hazardous. To reduce the possibility
of such problems, check your tire
pressures and condition f requently,
and perform all regularly scheduled
maintenance. (See page .)
You’ll f ind many saf ety
recommendations throughout this
section, and throughout this manual.
Therecommendationsonthispage
are the ones we consider to be the
most important.
A seat belt is your best protection in
all types of collisions. Airbags
supplement seat belts, but airbags
are designed to inf late only in a
moderate to severe f rontal collision.
So even though your car is equipped
with airbags, make sure you and
your passengers always wear your
seat belts, and wear them properly.
(See page .)
Alcohol and driving don’t mix. Even
one drink can reduce your ability to
respond to changing conditions, and
your reaction time gets worse with
every additional drink. So don’t drink
and drive, and don’t let your f riends
drink and drive, either.
Children are saf est when they are
properly restrained in the back seat,
notthefrontseat.Achildwhoistoo
smallforaseatbeltmustbeproperly
restrained in a child saf ety seat. (See
page .) 16
22 10
200
Driver and Passenger Saf ety
Important Saf ety Precautions
Always Wear Your Seat BeltBe Aware of Airbag Hazards Control Your Speed
Restrain All Children K eep Your Car in Saf e Condition
Don’t Drink and Drive
6
We recommend that you visually
check your tires every day. If you
think a tire might be low, check it
immediately with a tire gauge.
To saf ely operate your car, your tires
must be the proper type and size, in
good condition with adequate tread,
and correctly inf lated. The f ollowing
pages give more detailed inf ormation
on how and when to check air
pressure, how to inspect your tires
for damage and wear, and what to do
when your tires need to be replaced.
Keeping the tires properly inf lated
provides the best combination of
handling, tread lif e and riding
comf ort. Underinf lated tires wear
unevenly, adversely af f ect handling
and f uel economy, and are more
likely to f ail f rom being overheated.
Overinf lated tires can make your car
ride more harshly, are more prone to
damage f rom road hazards, and wear
unevenly.
Use a gauge to measure the air
pressure at least once a month. Even
tires that are in good condition may
lose one to two psi (10 to 20 kPa, 0.1
to 0.2 kgf /cm ) per month.
Remember to check the spare tire at
thesametimeyoucheckallthe
other tires.Check the pressure in the tires when
they are cold. This means the car
has been parked f or at least three
hours. If you have to drive the car
bef ore checking the tire pressure,
the tires can still be considered
‘‘cold’’ if you drive less than 1 mile
(1.6 km).
If you check the pressure when the
tires are hot (the car has been driven
several miles), you will see readings
4 to 6 psi (30 to 40 kPa, 0.3 to 0.4
kgf /cm ) higher than the cold
reading. This is normal. Do not let
air out to match the specified cold
pressure. The tire will be
underinf lated.
Youshouldgetyourowntire
pressure gauge and use it whenever
you check your tire pressures. This
will make it easier f or you to tell if a
pressure loss is due to a tire problem
and not due to a variation between
gauges.
Inf lation
Tires
Maint enance238
Using tires that are excessively
worn or improperly inflated can
cause a crash in which you can
be seriously hurt or killed.
Follow all instructions in this
owner’s manual regarding tire
inflation and maintenance.
The tires that came with your car
were selected to match the perform-
ance capabilities of the car while
providing the best combination of
handling, ride comf ort, and long lif e.
Youshouldreplacethemwithradial
tires of the same size, load range,
speed rating, and maximum cold tire
pressure rating (as shown on the
tire’s sidewall). Mixing radial and
bias-ply tires on your car can reduce
its braking ability, traction, and
steering accuracy. It is best to replace all f our tires atthesametime.If thatisnotpossible
or necessary, then replace the two
f ront tires or the two rear tires as a
pair. Replacing just one tire can
seriously af f ect your car’s handling.TheABSworksbycomparingthe
speed of the wheels. When replacing
tires, use the same size originally
supplied with the car. Tire size and
construction can af f ect wheel speed
and may cause the system to work
inconsistently.
If you ever need to replace a wheel,
make sure the wheel’s specif ications
match those of the original wheel
that came on your car. Replacement
wheels are available at your Honda
dealer.
Replacing T ires and Wheels
Tires
Maint enance242
Installing improper tires on your
car can affect handling and
stability. This can cause a crash
in which you can be seriously
hurt or killed.
Always use the size and type of
tires recommended in this
owner’s manual.
Because your Honda has limited tire
clearance, mount only SAE Class ‘‘S’’
cable-type traction devices on the
front tires. Use traction devices only
when required by driving conditions
or local laws. Make sure they are the
correct size f or your tires.
Metal link-type ‘‘chains’’ should not
be used. No matter how tight they
seem to be installed, they can come
into contact with the body and
suspension, causing serious damage.When installing cables, f ollow the
manuf acturer’s instructions and
mount them as tightly as you can.
Drive slowly with them installed. If
youhearthemcomingincontact
with the body or chassis, stop and
investigate. Make sure the cables are
installed tightly, and that they are
not contacting the brake lines or
suspension.
Remove them as soon as you begin
driving on cleared roads.
Tires
Maint enance
T ire Chains
244
Traction devices that are the wrong
size or improperly installed can
damage your vehicle’s brake lines,
suspension, body, and wheels. Stop
driving if they are hitting any part of
the vehicle.
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The tow
truck uses two pivoting arms that go
under the tires (f ront or rear) and lif t
them of f the ground. The other two
tires remain on the ground.
If your car needs to be towed, call a
prof essional towing service or, if you
belong to one, an organization that
provides roadside assistance. Never
tow your car behind another vehicle
with just a rope or chain. It is very
dangerous.
There are three popular types of
prof essional towing equipment.
The operator
loads your car on the back of a truck. Release the parking brake.
Shif t the transmission to Neutral.
The tow
truck uses metal cables with hooks
on the ends. These hooks go around
parts of the f rame or suspension and
the cables lif t that end of the car of f
the ground. Your car’s suspension
and body can be seriously damaged.
If your Honda cannot be transported
by f lat-bed, it should be towed by
wheel-lif t equipment with the f ront
wheels of f the ground. If due to
damage, your car must be towed
with the f ront wheels on the ground,
do the f ollowing: Release the parking brake.
Start the engine.
ShifttoD,thentoN.
Turn of f the engine.
5-speed Manual Transmission
Automatic Transmission
Wheel-lif t Equipment
Flat -bed Equipment Sling-t ype Equipment
T his is
an acceptable way to tow your
Honda.
This is the best way to transport
your Honda.
T his method of towing is
unacceptable.
Emergency T owing
T aking Care of t he Unexpect ed290
Improper towing preparation will
damage the transmission. Follow the
above procedure exactly. If you cannot
shif t the transmission or start the
engine (automatic transmission), your
car must be transported with the f ront
wheels of f the ground.
µµµ
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Specif ications
T echnical Inf ormation297
Battery Fuses
Tires
Alignment
Lights
Air Conditioning
HFC-134a (R-134a)
17.6 19.4 oz (500 550 g)
SP-10
12 V
12 V 60/55 W (HB2)
21/5 W
60 psi (420 kPa , 4.2 kgf/cm
)
12 V 5 W
12 V 8 W
12 V 5 W
12 V 5 W
12 V 8 W
12 V 3 CP
12 V 21 W
12 V 3 CP
12 V 21 W
12 V 21/5 W
12 V 21 W
12 V 3 CP
12 V 36 AH/5 HR
Capacity Interior
Under-hood Size
Pressure
Toe-in
Camber
Caster
1°33’0°50’
0°
0.00 in (0.0 mm)
30 psi (210 kPa , 2.1 kgf/cm)
T115/70D14 88M
P185/65R15 86HP185/70R14 87S
Headlights (HI/LO)
Front turn signal/side marker
lights
Front parking light
Rear turn signal lights
Stop/Taillights/Rear side
marker lights
Back-up lights
Taillights
High-mount brake light
License plate lights
Ceiling light
Front ceiling light
Spotlights
Trunk light
Refrigerant type
Charge quantity
Lubricant oil type
0.08 in (2.0 mm)
T125/70D15 95M
See page 289 or the fuse label
attached to the inside of the fuse
box door under the steering
column.
See page 288 or the fuse box
cover.
FrontRear
FrontRear
Front
1: EX
2: LX Front/Rear
Spare
Front/Rear
Spare
1 : US: DX, LX Canada: DX
2: US:EX Canada: LX
3 : US: DX, LX without ABS Canada: DX
4 : US: EX, LX with ABS Canada: LX
12
1
34
12
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Your new Honda is covered by these
warranties:
provides prorated
coverage f or a replacement battery
purchased f rom a Honda dealer.
a seat
belt that f ails to f unction properly is
coveredfortheusefullifeof the
vehicle.
covers all genuine
Honda replacement parts against
defects in materials and workman-
ship.
Genuine Honda Accessories are
covered under this warranty. Time
and mileage limits depend on the
type of accessory and other f actors.
Please read your warranty manual
f or details.
all exterior body panels are
covered f or rust-through f rom the
inside f or the specif ied time period
with no mileage limit. provides
coverageforaslongasthepur-
chaser of the muf f ler owns the car.
covers your new vehicle, except f or
the battery, emissions control
systems and accessories, against
def ects in materials and
workmanship.
this warranty gives up
to 100 percent credit toward a
replacement battery. these two
warranties cover your vehicle’s emis-
sions control systems. Time, mileage,
and coverage are conditional. Please
read the warranty manual for exact
inf ormation. Restrictions and exclusions apply to
all these warranties. Please read the
2002 Honda Warranty Inf ormation
booklet that came with your car f or
precise inf ormation on warranty
coverages. Your Honda’s original
tires are covered by their
manuf acturer. Tire warranty inf or-
mation is in a separate booklet.
Please ref er to the 2002 Warranty
Manual that came with your car.
Replacement Bat t ery L imit ed
Warranty
Seat Belt Limited Warranty
Replacement Part s L imit edWarranty
Accessory Limited Warranty
Rust Perf orat ion L imit ed Warrant y Replacement Muf f ler L if et ime
Limited Warranty
New Vehicle L imit ed Warrant y
Original Equipment Bat t ery L imit edWarranty
Emissions Cont rol Syst ems Def ect s
Warrant y and Emissions
Perf ormance WarrantyU.S. Owners
Canadian Owners
Warranty Coverages
Warrant y and Cust omer Relat ions309
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