•
* 1
* 2Under severe driving conditions, service these items more often. –These fluids: brake, clutch, P/S, battery, ATF,
Using SAE 10W-40 oil, or any viscosity other than those recommended, may reduce engin\
e life and affect the warranty. windshield washer
This service is recommended only. – Tire pressure
204 Care and Maintenance
R – Replace L – Lube I – Inspect After inspection, clean, adjust, repair or replace if necessary.Service at the interval listed x1 000 il ( k ) ft th tx 1,000 miles7.51522.53037.54552.56067.57582.59097.5105Service at the interval listed x1,000 miles (or km) or after thatnumber of months whicheverx 1,000 km1224364860728496108120132144156168number of months, whichever
comes first.months612182430364248546066727884
Engine and TransmissionAir cleaner elementRRR
Fuel tank, cap, pipes, hoses and connectionsI
Spark plugsR
•Engine oil and oil filter * 1RRRRRRRRRRRRRREngine drive beltIII
Cooling system, heater hoses, and connectionsIIIIIII•Engine coolantRRR
Timing beltR*
2
Exhaust systemIIIIIIIIIIIIII
Starter safety switchIIIIIIIIIIIIII
Auto cruise control linkage and hoseIIIIIII
Radiator core and A/C condenserI
Manual transmission oil and transfer case oilRRRRAutomatic transmissionSee page 216.
Shift-on-the-fly systemIIIIValve clearanceAdjust only if noisy.
Check oil and coolant level at each fuel stop.Inspect monthly:
Maintenance Schedule
•
•Repeated short trips in cold weather
• Driving in dusty areas •
Frequent idling and/or frequent low-speed operation
• Towing a trailer Change engine oil and filter
–Every 3,750 miles (6,000 km)
or 3 months
Change rear axle oil –Every 15,000 miles (24,000 km)
205Care and Maintenance
R – Replace L – Lube I – Inspect After inspection, clean, adjust, repair or replace if necessary.
Service at the interval listed x1 000 il ( k ) ft th tx 1,000 miles7.51522.53037.54552.56067.57582.59097.5105Service at the interval listed x1,000 miles (or km) or after thatnumber of months whicheverx 1,000 km1224364860728496108120132144156168number of months, whichever
comes first.months612182430364248546066727884
Steering and suspension, miscellaneousFront and rear axle oilRRRRPropeller shaft flange torqueIIIIIII
Front and rear propeller shaftsLLLLLLLLLL
Body and chassisLLLLLLLLLLLLLL
Front wheel bearingsRepack bearings when replacing front brake pads.Power steering fluidRRR
Tires (inspect and rotate)IIIIIIIIIIIIII
Suspension and steeringIIIIIIIIIIIIIIBrakes/ClutchBrake discs; calipers and padsIIIIIII
Brake drums, wheel cylinders and liningsIIIIIIIBrake lines and hosesIIIIIIIIIIIIIIParking brakeIIIIIIIBrake pedal playIIIIIIIClutch pedal playIIIIIIIClutch pedal spring, bushing and clevis pinLLLLLLL
Clutch lines and hosesIII
Check oil and coolant level at each fuel stop.
Under severe driving conditions, service these items more often. These c\
onditions are: Service for severe driving conditions
208 Care and Maintenance
Promptly take any safety
problems to your Honda dealer
for service advice.
Parking
brake — Park on a fairly
steep hill and hold the vehicle
with the parking brake only. This
checks its holding ability.
Starter safety switch (automatic
transmission) —
Check the safety
switch by trying to start the
engine in each gear. The starter
should work only with the shift
lever in the “P” (Park) or “N”
(Neutral) position.
Starter safety switch (manual
transmission) —
To check the
safety switch, place the shift lever
in “Neutral,” push the clutch
pedal halfway and try to start the
engine. The starter should not
work. The starter should work only when the clutch pedal is fully
depressed.
Transmission shift indicator
(automatic transmission)
—
Check that the indicator points to
the gear chosen.
Steering — Be alert for any
changes in steering action. An
inspection or service is needed
when the steering wheel is harder
to turn or has too much free play,
or if there are unusual sounds
when turning or parking.
Wheel alignment, balance and
tires —
Uneven or abnormal tire
wear, or pulling to the right or left
on a straight and level road may
show the need for a wheel
alignment. A vibration of the
steering wheel or seat at normal
highway speeds means wheel balancing is needed. Check tire
pressures (including the spare) at
least monthly and whenever the
vehicle is serviced (see page 163).
Brakes — Watch for the
“
BRAKE” light coming on. Other
signs of possible brake trouble are
such things as repeated pulling to
one side when braking, unusual
sounds when braking or between
brake applications, or increased
brake pedal travel. If you note one
of these conditions, have the
system checked at once and
repaired if needed.
Owner Safety Checks
209Care and Maintenance
Sit in the driver
’s seat and
perform these checks:
1. With the engine stopped,
depress the brake pedal several
times; the travel distance and
effective pedal stroke should
remain unchanged.
2. Start the engine with the brake pedal fully depressed.
The brake pedal should go down
a little as the engine starts.
3. Depress the brake pedal, stop the engine and hold the pedal
depressed for about 30
seconds; the brake pedal
should remain in position
without rising or going down.
4. Restart the engine and run it for about a minute, then turn it
off and depress the brake
pedal firmly several times; the
brake pedal travel should decrease each time the brake
pedal is depressed.
If the brakes do not operate
normally, have them checked and
corrected by your Honda dealer.
Exhaust system — Be alert to any
changes in the sound of the exhaust
system or any smell of fumes.
These are signs the system may be
leaking or overheating. Have the
system checked and/or repaired at
once if these conditions exist. (Also
see “Carbon Monoxide Hazard” in
the “Driver and Passenger Safety ”
section and “ Three-Way Catalytic
Converter ” in the “Driving Tips ”
section.)
Windshield wipers and
washers —
Check the operation
and condition of the wiper blades.
Check the flow and aim of the
washer spray.
Defrosters — Check performance
by moving the controls to the
defrost setting and noting the
amount of air directed against the
windshield.
Rear view mirrors and sun
visors —
Check that the friction
joints hold the mirrors and sun
visors firmly in place.
Horn — Blow the horn now and
then to be sure it works.
Lap and shoulder belts — Check
the belt system, including
webbing, buckles, latch plates,
retractors, guide loops and
anchors for proper operation and
damage.
Seat adjusters — When adjusting
a seat, be sure the seat adjusters
latch securely by pushing the seat
forward and backward.
211Care and Maintenance
Underbody — Corrosive
materials used for road-ice, snow
removal and dust control can
collect on the underbody. If these
materials are not removed,
accelerated corrosion (rust) can
occur on underbody parts such as
the fuel line, frame, floor pan and
exhaust system. At least once a
year, in the spring, flush these
materials from the underbody
with plain water.
Take care to thoroughly clean any
areas where mud and other debris
can collect. Sediment trapped in
closed areas of the frame should
be loosened before being flushed.Proper Quality Oil
Engine oils are labeled on the
containers with various API
(American Petroleum Institute)
designations of quality.
Use Only SJ Quality Oil
Additional designations of quality
may also be present, but
SJ must
be included.
The “
SJ” designation may be
shown alone, or in combination
with other designations, such as
“
SJ/CC,” “SJ/CD,” or “SJ, CC”
etc.
As long as the letters “
SJ” appear
somewhere in the designation of
oil quality indicated on the
container, the oil is of suitable
quality.
Change Interval
The oil and filter change intervals
for your engine are based on the
use of the recommended oil
quality and viscosity, as well as
high-quality filters. Using oils
other than recommended, or
extending oil change intervals
longer than those recommended,
could reduce engine life.
Your engine was filled with a
high-quality engine oil when it
left the factory. You do not have
to change this oil before the
suggested change period.
If your normal driving does not
include one or more of the “severe
driving” conditions listed below,
change the oil every 7,500 miles
(12,000 kilometers) or 6 months,
whichever comes first.
Engine Oil and Filter
212Care and Maintenance
Change the oil and oil filter every
3,750 miles (6,000 kilometers) or
every three months if you drive
under one or more of these
“severe driving” conditions:
•Driving in dusty areas
•Towing a trailer
•Frequent idling or idling for
long periods
•Frequent short trips (4 miles [6
kilometers] or less) in cold or
freezing weather, where the
engine does not thoroughly
warm up.
•Change the oil and oil filter as
soon as possible after driving in
a dust storm.
Oil Change
Changing the oil and filter requires
special tools and access from
underneath the vehicle. The vehicle
should be raised on a service
station-type hydraulic lift for this
service. Unless you have the
knowledge and proper equipment,
you should have this maintenance
done by a skilled mechanic.
1. Warm up the engine. This
makes the oil drain faster and
more thoroughly.
2. Remove the oil filler cap.
3. Remove the drain plug and drain oil fully.
4. Install the drain plug, with a new gasket, and tighten it.
5. Fill the engine with the proper amount of new oil (see
“Specifications”). Oil Filter Installation
1. Remove the old oil filter with
the filter wrench.
2. Apply a light coat of engine oil to the oil filter gasket.
3. Hand-tighten the filter until the gasket contacts the sealing
face.
4. Using the filter wrench, tighten the filter one full turn.
5. Run the engine and inspect for leaks.
6. Shut off the engine. After a couple of minutes, check the
oil level. If necessary, add oil
to bring it to the
FULL mark.
An improperly installed oil filter
can result in severe engine
damage.
213Care and Maintenance
Oil Viscosity
Engine oil viscosity (thickness) has
an effect on fuel economy. Lower
viscosity engine oils can provide
increased fuel economy; however,
higher temperature weather
conditions require higher viscosity
engine oils for satisfactory
lubrication. To get the best fuel
economy with your vehicle, you
should use a fuel-saving engine oil
of the proper viscosity. These oils
can be found in service stations andother retail stores. They are
identified by words such as
“Energy Saving,” “Conserves
Gasoline,” “Gas Saving,”
“Gasoline Saving,” “Friction
Reducing,” “Improved Gasoline
Mileage” or “Fuel Saving.”
The chart lists the recommended
engine oil viscosities for the
temperature range you expect
before the next oil change. For
temperatures above 0
F (–18 C),
SAE 10W–30 is the preferred viscosity grade. If cold-weather
starting problems are encountered
at temperatures below 0
F
(–18 C), SAE 5W–30 viscosity
oils may be required.
Oil Level Check
It is the owner ’s responsibility to
keep the engine oil at the proper
level. Check the oil level at regular
intervals (such as every other fuel
stop) and keep it above the
“minimum” level mark.
Remember, your engine may use
more oil when it is new.
The best time to check the engine
oil level is when the oil is warm,
such as during a fuel stop. Shut off
the engine and wait about 5 minutes
for the oil to drain back to the oil
pan. Pull out the dipstick, wipe it
clean, and push it back down all the
way. Now pull out the dipstick and
–20 F 0 F
– 30 C –20 C –10 C 20 F
40 F
0 C 10 C 20 C
60 F
80 F
30 C 40 C
100 F
TEMPERATURE RANGE YOU EXPECT BEFORE NEXT OIL CHANGE
VISCOSITY GRADE – AMBIENT TEMPERATURE
SAE 5W–30
SAE 10W–30, PREFERRED
SAE 15W–40, 20W–40, 20W–50
214Care and Maintenance
look at the oil level on the dipstick.
The dipstick has two markings
which indicate the minimum and
maximum allowable oil level. If the
oil level is lower than the marked
area, it indicates the need for
additional oil. Push the dipstick
back down all the way after taking
the reading.
•If you check the oil level when
the oil is cold, do not run the
engine first. The cold oil will
not drain into the pan fast
enough to give a true reading.
Engine Oil Additives
There are many extra engine oil
additives for sale. Your engine
should not need these extra
additives if you use recommended
quality engine oil and change it as
suggested. If you think your
engine has an oil-related problem,
talk to your Honda dealer.
See your Maintenance Schedule for
change intervals. If the vehicle is
operated in dusty areas it will
require more frequent element
replacement. Your Honda dealer
can be of assistance in determining
the proper replacement frequency
for the conditions under which you
operate your vehicle.
Do not attempt to clean the air
filter. The filter is designed to
provide normal filtering
efficiency between replacement
intervals.
For maximum protection, it is
advisable to use genuine Honda air
cleaner filters as replacements.
Air Cleaner Filter