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.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 .)
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 vehicle is
equipped with airbags, make sure
you and your passengers always
wear your seat belts, and wear them
properly. (See page .)
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 .) 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.
17
238
24 10
Driver and Passenger Saf ety
Important Saf ety Precautions
Always Wear Your Seat Belt
Be Aware of Airbag Hazards Control Your Speed
K eep Your Vehicle in Saf e
Condition
Restrain All Children Don’t Drink and Drive
6
If a seat belt is worn during a crash,
it must be replaced by the dealer. A
belt that has been worn during a
crash may not provide the same level
of protection in a subsequent crash.
The dealer should also inspect the
anchors f or damage and replace
them if needed.
Automatic seat belt tensioners that
deployed during a crash must be
replaced.
For inf ormation on how to clean your
seat belts, see page .
For saf ety, you should check the
condition of your seat belts regularly.
Pull each belt out f ully and look f or
f rays, cuts, burns, and wear. Check
that the latches work smoothly and
that the lap/shoulder belts retract
easily. Any belt not in good condition
or not working properly will not
provide good protection and should
be replaced as soon as possible.
Honda provides a lif etime warranty
on seat belts. Honda will repair or
replace any seat belt component that
f ails to f unction properly during
normal use. Please see your
booklet f or
details. 302
Honda
Warranty Inf ormation
Seat Belt Maintenance
U.S. Models
Additional Inf ormation About Your Seat Belts
Driver and Passenger Saf ety53
Not checking or maintaining
seat belts can result in serious
injury or death if the seat belts
do not work properly when
needed.
Check your seat belts regularly
and have any problem
corrected as soon as possible.
Your vehicle’s exhaust contains
carbon monoxide gas. You should
have no problem with carbon
monoxide entering the vehicle in
normal driving if you maintain your
vehicle properly.High levels of carbon monoxide can
collect rapidly in enclosed areas,
such as a garage. Do not run the
engine with the garage door closed.
Even with the door open, run the
engine only long enough to move the
vehicle out of the garage.
Have the exhaust system inspected
f or leaks whenever:
The vehicle is raised f or an oil
change.
You notice a change in the sound
of the exhaust.
The vehicle was in an accident
that may have damaged the under-
side. With the tailgate/hatch glass open,
air flow can pull exhaust gas into
your vehicle’s interior and create a
hazardous condition. If you must
drive with the tailgate/hatch glass
open, open all the windows and set
the heating and cooling system as
shown below.
If you must sit in your parked vehicle,
even in an unconf ined area, with the
engine running, adjust the heating
and cooling system as f ollows:
Select the Fresh Air mode.
Select the mode.
Turn the f an on high speed.
Set the temperature control to a
comfortable setting.
1.
2.
3.
4.
Carbon Monoxide Hazard
Driver and Passenger Saf ety60
Carbon monoxide gas is toxic.
Breathing it can cause
unconsciousness and even kill
you.
Avoid any enclosed areas or
activities that expose you to
carbon monoxide.
Proper use of the Heating and
Cooling system can make the
interior dry and comf ortable, and
keep the windows clear f or best
visibility.
Turning this dial clockwise increases
the f an’s speed, which increases air
flow.
Turning this dial clockwise increases
the temperature of the air flow.
This button turns the air condi-
tioning ON and OFF. The indicator
in the button lights when the A/C is
on.This button controls the source of
the air going into the system. When
the indicator in this button is lit, air
f rom the vehicle’s interior is sent
through the system again (Recircula-
tion mode). When the indicator is off,
air is brought in f rom outside the
vehicle (Fresh Air mode).
This button turns the rear window
def ogger on and of f (see page ).Use the MODE control dial to select
the vents the air flows from. Some
air will f low f rom the dashboard
vents in all modes.
81
Comf ort and Convenience Feat ures
Heating and Cooling
What Each Control Does
Fan Control Dial
T emperature Control Dial
Air Conditioning (A/C) Button Recirculation Button
Rear Window Def ogger ButtonMode Control Dial
128
R RE
EC
CI IRRC CUUL LAA T
TI
IOON N
B
BU UT TT
TO
ON N M
M
O
ODDE
E C
COON NTTR
RO OL L D
DI
IAA L
L
F
FA
A N
N C
COON NTTR
RO OL L
D
D I
IAA L
L T
T
E
EM
M P
PE
ER
RA A T
TU
UR REE
C
CO ON NTTR
RO OL L D
DI
IAA L
L
R
REEA
A R
R W
WI INND DO
OW W D
DE
EF
FOOG GGGEER
R
B
BU UT TT
TO
ON N
A
A
I
IRR C
COON NDDI
ITT I
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B
BU UT TT
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CONT INUED
Turn the temperature control dial
all the way to the lef t.
Make sure the A/C is of f .
Select and Fresh Air mode.
Set the f an to the desired speed.
The outside air intakes f or the
heating and cooling system are at
the base of the windshield. Keep
these clear of leaves and other
debris.
It is best to leave the system in Fresh
Air mode under almost all conditions.
Keeping the system in Recirculation
mode, particularly with the A/C of f ,
can cause the windows to fog up.
Switch to Recirculation mode when
you are driving through smoky or
dusty conditions, then switch back to
Fresh Air mode when the condition
clears. This section covers how to set up the
system controls f or ventilation,
heating, cooling, dehumidif ying, and
def rosting.
The engine must be running f or the
heater and air conditioning to
generate hot and cold air. The heater
uses engine coolant to warm the air.
If the engine is cold, it will be several
minutes bef ore you f eel warm air
coming from the system.
The air conditioning does not rely on
engine temperature.
The f low-through ventilation system
draws in outside air, circulates it
through the interior, then exhausts it
through vents near the tailgate.1.
2.
3.
Heating and Cooling
Comf ort and Convenience Feat ures
Vent ilat ion
How to Use the System
131
M M
O
ODDE
E C
COON NTTR
RO OL L
D
D I
IAA L
L
T
T
E
EM
M P
PE
ER
RA A T
TU
UR REE
C
CO ON NTTR
RO OL L D
DI
IAA L
L
F
FA
A N
N C
COON NTTR
RO OL L
D
D I
IAA L
L
A
AI
IRR C
COON NDDI
ITT I
IOON NIINNG G
B
BU UT TT
TO
ON N
R
RE
EC
CI IRRC CUUL LAA T
TI
IOON N
B
BU UT TT
TO
ON N
If the interior is very warm f rom
beingparkedinthesun,youcancool
it down more rapidly by setting up
the controls this way:Start the engine.
Turn on the A/C by pressing the
button. Make sure the tempera-
ture control dial is all the way to
the left.
Set the f an to maximum speed.
Open the windows partially. Select and Fresh Air mode.
When the interior has cooled down
to a more comf ortable temperature,
close the windows and set the
controls as described f or normal
cooling. To warm the interior:
Air conditioning places an extra load
on the engine. Watch the engine
coolant temperature gauge (see page
) when driving in stop-and-go
traf f ic or climbing a long, steep hill.
If it moves near the red zone, turn
of f the A/C until the gauge reads
normally. Start the engine.
Select .
Set the f an to the desired speed.
Adjust the warmth of the air with
the temperature control dial.
1.
2.
3.
4. 74
1.
2.
3.
4.
CONT INUED
Heating and Cooling
Comf ort and Convenience Feat ures
To Heat
133
Air conditioning, as it cools, removes
moisture from the air. When used in
combination with the heater, it
makes the interior warm and dry.Set the f an to the desired speed.
Turn on the air conditioning.
Select and Fresh Air mode.
Adjust the temperature control
dial so the mixture of heated and
cooled air f eels comf ortable.
This setting is suitable f or all driving
conditions whenever the outside
temperature is above 32°F (0°C). To remove f og f rom the inside of the
windows:
Set the f an to the desired speed.
Select .
When you select , the
system automatically switches to
Fresh Air mode and turns on the
A/C.
Adjust the temperature control
dial so the air f low f rom the
def roster vents f eels warm.
Turn on the rear window def ogger
to help clear the rear window.
When you switch to another mode
f rom , the A/C stays on.
Press the A/C button to turn it of f . To remove exterior f rost or ice f rom
the windshield and side windows
after the vehicle has been sitting out
in cold weather:
Start the engine.
Select .
When you select , the
system automatically switches
to Fresh Air mode and turns on
the A/C.
Set the f an and temperature
controls to maximum.
To rapidly remove exterior f rost or
ice f rom the windshield (on very cold
days), f irst select the Recirculation
mode. Once the windshield is clear,
select the Fresh Air mode to avoid
f ogging the windows.
1.
2.
3.
4.
1.
2.
3.
4. 1.
2.
3.
T o Heat and Dehumidif y wit h A ir
Condit ioning T o Def og and Def rost
Heating and Cooling
Comf ort and Convenience Feat ures134
Always maintain your vehicle accord-
ing to the maintenance schedule.
This will keep it in top operating
condition.You can improve f uel economy by
driving moderately. Rapid acceler-
ation, abrupt cornering, and hard
braking use more f uel.
The condition of your vehicle and
your driving habits are the two most
important things that affect the fuel
mileage you get.
A cold engine uses more f uel than a
warm engine. It is not necessary to
‘‘warm-up’’ a cold engine by letting it
idle f or a long time. You can drive
away in about a minute, no matter
how cold it is outside. The engine
will warm up f aster, and you get
better f uel economy. To cut down on
the number of ‘‘cold starts,’’ try to
combine several short trips into one.
The air conditioning puts an extra
load on the engine which makes it
usemorefuel.Turnoff theA/Cto
cutdownonairconditioninguse.
Use the f low-through ventilation
when the outside air temperature is
moderate.
Always drive in the highest gear that
allows the engine to run and acceler-
ate smoothly.
In winter, the build-up of snow on
your vehicle’s underside adds weight
and rolling resistance. Frequent
cleaning helps your f uel mileage and
reduces the chance of corrosion. Depending on traf f ic conditions, try
to maintain a constant speed. Every
time you slow down and speed up,
your vehicle uses extra f uel. Use the
cruise control, when appropriate, to
increase f uel economy.
An important part of that mainte-
nance is the
(see page ). For
example, an underinf lated tire
causes more ‘‘rolling resistance,’’
which uses f uel. It also wears out
f aster, so check the tire pressure at
least monthly. 245
Vehicle Condition
Driving Habits
Owner Maintenance
Checks
Fuel Economy
Bef ore Driving190