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75Instruments and Controls
Turn Signal Lever
Push the lever fully up to signal a
right turn. Push it fully down to
signal a left turn. Lights on the
front and rear of the vehicle will
flash.
The turn signal will cancel itself as
the turn is completed. In some
driving maneuvers, such as
changing lanes on an expressway,the steering wheel is not turned
back sufficiently after completing
the turn to automatically cancel the
turn signal. In such maneuvers the
driver should manually return the
lever to the neutral or canceled
position when the turn is
completed.
Lane Change Signal
In some turns, such as changing
lanes, the steering wheel is not
turned far enough to cancel the
turn signal. For convenience, you
can flash the turn signal by
moving the lever part way (to the
first stop) and holding it there.
The lever will return to the
horizontal position when you
release it.
A green light on the instrument
panel flashes to indicate proper
operation of the front and rear
turn signal lights. If the green
light remains on, but does not
flash, check for defective bulbs
If the green light does not light
when the lever is moved, check
the fuse and indicator bulb.
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76Instruments and Controls
Hazard Warning Flasher
Push the button to turn on the
hazard warning lights (four-way
flashers). All four outside turn
signal lights and both indicators in
the instrument panel will flash.
Push the button again to turn them
off.
The turn signals do not work
when the hazard warning lights
are on.
Use the hazard warning lights to
warn other drivers that your
vehicle is a potential road hazard.
Avoid stopping on the roadway if
possible.
Cruise Control
Refer to page 147 for operation of
this system.
The shift lever position indicator
is in the instrument panel. The
appropriate letter or number
illuminates to show what position
the shift lever is in.
The 4-speed automatic
transmission shift lever is
arranged with “P” (Park) position
at one end, followed in sequence
by “R” (Reverse), “N” (Neutral)
Automatic Transmission
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80Instruments and Controls
Transfer Control
4WD Models
The “4WD” indicator light
illuminates when 4WD is engaged
with the 4WD-2WD switch.
“2H” (High Range, 2-Wheel
Drive)
Use this for normal driving on dry
pavement. This position gives
greater economy, quieter ride and
the least drivetrain wear.
“4H” (High Range, 4-Wheel
Drive)
Use this for normal driving on
gravel, wet, icy or snow-covered
roads. This position provides
greater traction than two-wheel
drive. Top speed is limited to 65
mph (105 km/h).
“4L” (Low Range, 4-Wheel
Drive)
Use this for maximum power and
traction. Top speed is limited to 65 mph (105 km/h). Use
“4L” for
climbing or descending steep
hills, off-road driving, and hard
pulling in sand, mud or deep
snow.
Operating the 4WD-2WD Switch
2H 4H: To shift between
ranges, push the switch
with the vehicle going in
a straight line at any
speed below 65 mph
(105 km/h). The 4WD
indicator will blink for a
short time as the system
completes the shift.
Taking your foot off the
accelerator pedal for a
moment will help to
engage the new range.
If the vehicle is stopped,
you should let it roll
forward slightly to
complete the shift.
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81Instruments and Controls
Shifting the Transfer Control
Lever
4H
↔ 4L: Stop the vehicle. Place
the transmission lever in
“N” (Neutral) position.
Then move the transfer
control lever from 4H to
4L, or 4L to 4H.
Move the transfer control lever
quickly and securely between
positions. Do not stop midway.
The transfer gear box can be
damaged if the control lever is not
firmly in gear. Some noise is
normal when shifting.
Always stop the vehicle before
shifting between low and high
range (4H 4L or 4L 4H).
If the 4WD indicator continues to
blink rapidly, it indicates that the
system was shifted out of
sequence. Stop the vehicle, select
4WD with the 4WD-2WD switch, shift the lever from 4L to 4H, then
select 2WD. Drive in a straight
line to reset the system. If the
indicator continues to blink, see
your Honda dealer.
Do not use 4-wheel drive for
driving on dry pavement. This
causes noise and wear, and taking
tight turns can damage the
transfer case and driveshafts. It
also reduces fuel economy.
Be careful that you do not exceed
the following maximum allowable
speeds when accelerating.
mph (km/h)
RangeAutomatic TransmissionRange“L”“2”“3”
“2H”35 (56)65
(105)–
“4H”35 (56)65
(105)65
(105)
“4L”15 (24)30 (48)50 (81)
Driving Pattern Selector
You can select a driving pattern
suitable for existing driving
conditions.
When neither “POWER” nor
“
WINTER” lights are illuminated,
the normal driving program for
general driving conditions is
operative.
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82Instruments and Controls
When more powerful acceleration
is needed, select the “
POWER”
driving program. The “
POWER
DRIVE
” indicator light comes on
when the driving pattern selector
is set in the “
POWER” position.
Push the button again to turn it
off.
Under inclement weather
conditions that cause slippery
roads, activating the “
WINTER”mode will improve driving
operation. The
“
WINTER” mode
may be activated while driving at
speeds of 6 mph (10 km/h) or less.
With the transmission lever in the
“P, ” “R,” “N,” or “
D” position,
push the “
WINTER” button on the
console.
The “
WINTER DRIVE” indicator
light will illuminate whenever the
“
WINTER” mode system is
activated, and the vehicle will
start off in third gear.
The “
WINTER” mode is
deactivated when the vehicle
reaches approximately 19 mph
(30 km/h), when the transmission
is shifted into “3,” “2,” or “L,” by
pushing the “
WINTER” button
again, or by turning the ignition
key to the “
OFF” position. Operation of the
“
WINTER”
mode should be limited to
slippery road conditions only.
Operation of the “
WINTER”
mode during normal driving
conditions will cause decreased
performance and sluggish
acceleration.
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83Instruments and Controls
The transmission has five fully
synchronized forward speeds. The
gear shift pattern is provided on
the transmission lever knob. The
backup lights turn on when
shifted into the reverse gear.
Driving Tips
Always depress and release the
clutch pedal fully when shifting.
Do not rest your foot on the clutch
pedal while driving; this can
cause the clutch to slip, resulting
in damage to the clutch.
When you are stopped on an
upgrade, do not hold the vehicle
in place by letting the clutch pedal
up part-way. Use the foot brake or
the parking brake.
Never shift into reverse gear until
the vehicle is completely stopped.
Do not
“over-speed ” the engine
when shifting down to a lower gear.
The shift lever cannot be shifted
directly from fifth gear into
Reverse. When shifting into
Reverse gear from fifth gear,
depress the clutch pedal and shift
completely into Neutral position,
then shift into Reverse gear.
5-Speed Manual Transmission
Page 87 of 294

MANUAL TRANSMISSION SHIFT SPEED CHART
Transmission Type
5-Speed Manual First to
Second Second to
Third Third to
Fourth Fourth to
Fifth
15 mph
(25 km/h) 25 mph
(40 km/h) 40 mph
(65 km/h) 45 mph
(70 km/h)
84Instruments and Controls
Shift Speed Chart
The lower gears of the
transmission are used for normal
acceleration of the vehicle to the
desired cruising speed. The
highest gear of the transmission is
used to maintain the desired
speed. The fifth gear is
recommended for use in
maintaining highway cruising
speeds. Use of the fifth gear in
city traffic is not recommended.
The shift speed chart shows the
speeds at which each upshift of
the transmission should be made
to get the best vehicle
performance and fuel economy. For cruising, choose the highest
gear for that speed (cruising speed
is defined as a relatively constant
speed operation).
The upshift indicator (
U/S) lights
to show recommended upshift
points. (Refer to “Indicator
Lights.”)
If the engine is “lugging” (the
speed you are traveling at is too
slow for the gear the transmission
is in), downshift to the next lower
gear. You may need to downshift
two or more gear positions to
keep the engine from “lugging” or
to keep the performance at a
satisfactory level.
Transfer Control
4WD Models
The “4WD” indicator light
illuminates when 4WD is engaged
with the 4WD-2WD switch.
“2H” (High Range, 2-Wheel
Drive)
Use this for normal driving on dry
pavement. This position gives
greater economy, quieter ride and
least drivetrain wear.
Page 89 of 294

86Instruments and Controls
Operation
To set the parking brake, fully
pull up on the handle between the
seats. To release the parking
brake, pull upward slightly. Then
depress the pushbutton and push
down all the way.
RELEASE
To help remind you, the brake
system warning light is designed
to come on if the parking brakecontrol is not fully released when
the key is on.
Always pull the parking brake
lever as far up as possible to make
sure it sets fully. If the parking
brake is not fully set, the vehicle
could roll if it is parked on an
incline.
Parking Tips
Never drive away with the
parking brake still set. This may
overheat the rear brakes, reducing
their effectiveness and causing
excessive wear or damage.
Always apply the parking brake
whenever you leave the vehicle,
whether it is equipped with a
manual or automatic transmission.
If your vehicle is equipped with
an automatic transmission, you
should set the parking brake
whenever you leave the driver
’s
seat. If the vehicle is parked on a
grade and the shift lever is placed
in “P” (Park) position before the
parking brake is set, the weight
of the vehicle may exert so much
force on the parking mechanism
in the transmission that you may
have difficulty moving the shift
lever out of “P” (Park).
To prevent this, apply the parking
brake
BEFORE you move the
shift lever to “P” (Park) position.
When preparing to drive away,
move the shift lever out of the
“P” (Park) position
BEFORE you
release the parking brake. It is
good driving practice to set the
Parking Brake