Page 98 of 372
You can unlock the hatch glass in
any of these ways:Press the hatch glass release
button on the driver’s door.
With the tailgate unlocked, open the
tailgate by pulling the handle.
To keep the tailgate door open on an
incline, use the stop f rom the tool kit.
The tool kit is in the storage bin
under the cargo f loor. Put the stop
on the support strut as shown.
Make sure to remove the stop before
closing the tailgate.
Opening t he Hat ch Glass
Keys and Locks
Inst rument s and Cont rols94
H H
A
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Page 128 of 372

If you leave any door open with the
keynotintheignitionswitch,the
ceiling light will go of f af ter three
minutes.
The ceiling light (with the switch in
the center position) comes on when
you remove the key f rom the ignition
switch. If you do not open a door, the
light f ades out in about 30 seconds.
The ceiling light (with the switch in
the center position) also comes on
when you unlock the door with the
key, the lock tab on the driver’s door,
the master door lock switch, or the
remote transmitter (see page ).Turn on a spotlight by pushing the
button next to each light. Push the
button again to turn it off. You can
use the spotlights at all times.
The ceiling light has a three-position
switch. In the OFF position, the light
does not come on. In the center
position, the ceiling light comes on
when you open any door. Af ter all
doors are closed tightly, the light
f ades out in about 30 seconds. In the
ON position, the ceiling light stays
on continuously. 90
Inst rument s and Cont rols
Interior Lights
Ceiling L ight
Spotlights
124
O OFFFF O
ON
N
D
D O
OO ORR A
AC
CTTI
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Page 129 of 372
The cargo area light has a three-
position switch. In the OFF position,
the light does not come on. In the
center position, the light comes on
when you open the tailgate or the
hatch glass. In the ON position, the
light stays on continuously.The ignition switch light comes on
when you unlock the driver’s door,
and f ades out about 30 seconds af ter
you close the door.
Interior Lights
Inst rument s and Cont rols
Cargo A rea L ight
Ignition Switch L ight
125
O OFFFF O
ON
N
T
T A
A I
ILLG GA AT
TE
E/
/H
H A
AT
TC
CH H G
GLLAA S
SSS A
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SWWI ITT C
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Page 196 of 372

Do not remove any original
equipment or modif y your vehicle in
any way that would alter its design or
operation. This could make your
vehicle unsaf e and illegal to drive.
Such modif ications can adversely
af f ect handling, and interf ere with
the operation of the vehicle’s anti-
lock brakes and other systems.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.
For example, do not make any
modif ications that would change the
ride height of your vehicle, or install
wheels and tires with a dif f erent
overall diameter.
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 vehicle and
hurt someone. 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.
If a side airbag
inflates,acupholderorotherhard
object attached on or near the
door could be propelled inside the
vehicle and hurt someone.
Only on models equipped with side
airbagsModif ications
Additional Saf ety Precautions
Do not at t ach or place object s onthe f ront airbag covers. Do not place any object s over t he
outsideedgeof afront seat-back.
Do not at t ach hard object s on or
near a f ront door.
A ccessories and Modif ications
Bef ore Driving192
Page 203 of 372

Youshoulddothefollowingchecks
and adjustments every day bef ore
you drive your vehicle.Make sure all windows, mirrors,
and outside lights are clean and
unobstructed. Remove f rost, snow,
or ice. 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 ).
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 ).
Visually check the tires. If a tire
looks low, use a gauge to check its
pressure.
Check that any items you may be
carrying with you inside are stored
properly or f astened down
securely. Make sure the doors are securely
closed and locked.
Check that the hood, tailgate and
hatch glass are f ully closed.
1.
2.
3.
4. 5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
12.
97
114 83
17 200
65
Driving
Preparing to Drive
199
Page 214 of 372

µ
Always use the parking brake when
you park your vehicle. The indicator
on the instrument panel shows that
the parking brake is not f ully
released; it does not indicate that the
parking brake is f irmly set. Make
sure the parking brake is set f irmly
or your vehicle may roll if it is
parked on an incline.
If your vehicle has an automatic
transmission, set the parking brake
bef ore you put the transmission in
Park. This keeps the vehicle f rom
moving and putting pressure on the
parking mechanism in the
transmission making it easier to
move the shift lever out of Park
when you want to drive away. If the vehicle is f acing uphill, turn
the f ront wheels away f rom the curb.
If you have a manual transmission,
putitinfirstgear.
If the vehicle is f acing downhill, turn
the f ront wheels toward the curb. If
you have a manual transmission, put
it in reverse gear.
Make sure the parking brake is f ully
released bef ore driving away.
Driving with the parking brake
partially set can overheat or damage
the rear brakes.
Make sure the moonroof and the
windows are closed.
Lock the doors and the tailgate
with the key or the remote
transmitter.
Make sure the hatch glass is
closed securely. Place any packages, valuables, etc.,
in the cargo area or take them
with you. Turn of f the lights.
Never park over dry leaves, tall
grass, or other f lammable
materials. The three way catalytic
converter gets very hot, and could
cause these materials to catch on
fire.
Parking T ips
Driving
Parking
210
Page 299 of 372

If you need to park your vehicle f or
an extended period (more than one
month), there are several things you
should do to prepare it f or storage.
Proper preparation helps prevent
deterioration and makes it easier to
get your vehicle back on the road. If
possible, store your vehicle indoors.Block the rear wheels.
If the vehicle is to be stored f or a
longer period, it should be
supported on jackstands so the
tires are of f the ground.
Leave one window open slightly (if
the vehicle is being stored
indoors).Cover the vehicle with a
‘‘breathable’’ cover, one made
f rom a porous material such as
cotton. Nonporous materials, such
as plastic sheeting, trap moisture,
which can damage the paint.
Fill the f uel tank.
Change the engine oil and f ilter
(see page ).
Wash and dry the exterior
completely.
Cleantheinterior.Makesurethe
carpeting, floor mats, etc. are
completely dry. To minimize sticking, apply a
silicone spray lubricant to all door
and tailgate seals. Also, apply a
vehiclebodywaxtothepainted
surfaces that mate with the door
and tailgate seals. Support the f ront and rear wiper
blade arms with a f olded towel or
ragsotheydonottouchthe
windshield. Disconnect the battery.
Leave the parking brake off. Put
the transmission in Reverse
(5-speed manual) or Park
(automatic). If possible, run the engine f or a
while periodically (pref erably once
amonth).
If you store your vehicle f or 12
months or longer, have your Honda
dealer perf orm the inspections called
f or in the 24 months maintenance
schedule (Normal Conditions) as
soon as you take it out of storage
(see page ). The replacements
called f or in the maintenance
schedule are not needed unless the
vehicle has actually reached that
time or mileage.
249
238
Maint enance
St oring Your Vehicle
295
Page 313 of 372
CONT INUED
Turn the jack’s end bracket
counterclockwise to loosen it, then
remove the jack.
To keep the tailgate door open,
use the stop f rom the tool kit. Put
the stop on the support strut as
shown. The tool and jack are behind a
cover in the cargo area on the
passenger’s side. Remove the
cover by turning the handle
counterclockwise, then pulling out
the cover.6.
5.
4.
T aking Care of t he Unexpect ed
Changing a Flat T ire
309
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