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 .)
Children are saf est when they are
properly restrained in a 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.
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 .)
17
24 10
288
Driver and Passenger Saf ety
Important Saf ety Precautions
Always Wear Your Seat BeltBe Aware of Airbag Hazards Control Your Speed
K eep Your Vehicle in Saf e
Condition
Restrain All Children Don’t Drink and Drive
6
CONT INUED
When preparing to tow, and bef ore
driving away, be sure to check the
f ollowing:The vehicle has been properly
serviced, and the tires, brakes,
suspension, and cooling system
are in good operating condition.
If you tow f requently, f ollow the
Severe Conditions maintenance
schedule.
All weights and loads are within
limits (see pages and ). The trailer has been properly
serviced and is in good condition.
Many states and Canadian provinces
require special outside mirrors when
towing a trailer. Even if they don’t,
you should install special mirrors if
you cannot clearly see behind you, or
if the trailer creates a blind spot.
Askyourtrailersalesorrental
agency if any other items are
recommended or required f or your
towing situation.
Since lighting and wiring vary in
trailer type and brand, you should
also have a qualif ied mechanic install
a suitable connector between the
vehicleandthetrailer.
When towing a trailer, you should
carry a f ull-size wheel and tire as a
spare in case you have a flat. If you
use the compact spare tire that came
with the vehicle, it may adversely
af f ect vehicle handling. See page
f or inf ormation on proper tire
size, and page f or inf ormation on
how to store a f ull-size tire. When
storing a f ull-size spare tire in the
trailer, f ollow the trailer maker’s
instructions. Thehitch,safetychains,andany
other attachments are secure.
328
359
274 276
Towing a Trailer
Driving
Pre-T ow ChecklistAdditional Trailer Equipment
Spare Vehicle T ire
279
µµWe 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 vehicle, 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
informationonhowandwhento
check air pressure, how to inspect
your tires f or damage and wear, and
what to do when your tires need to
be replaced.
The timing belt should normally be
replaced at the intervals shown in
the maintenance schedule.
Replace the belt at 60,000 miles (U.S.)
or 100,000 km (Canada) if you regu-
larly drive your vehicle in one or
more of these conditions:
In very high temperatures
(over 110°F, 43°C).
In very low temperatures
(under 20°F, 29°C). 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 affect handling
and f uel economy, and are more
likely to f ail f rom being overheated.
Overinf lated tires can make your
vehicleridemoreharshly,aremore
prone to damage from road hazards,
and wear unevenly.
CONT INUED
Timing Belt, Tires
Maint enance
Inf lation
Tires
Timing Belt
323
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.
CONT INUED
It is best to replace all f our tires at
thesametime.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 vehicle’s han-
dling.
When shopping f or replacement
tires, you may find that some tires
are ‘‘directional.’’ This means they
are designed to rotate only in one
direction. If you use directional tires,
they should be rotated only front-to-
back.
The tires that came with your
vehicle were selected to match the
perf ormance capabilities of the
vehicle while providing the best
combination of handling, ride
comfort,andlonglife.Youshould
replace them with radial 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 vehicle can reduce its
braking ability, traction, and steering
accuracy.
Tires
Maint enance
Replacing T ires and Wheels
327
Installing improper tires on your
vehicle 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.
If you mount snow tires on your
Honda, make sure they are radial
tires of the same size and load range
as the original tires. Mount snow
tiresonallfourwheelstobalance
your vehicle’s handling in all weather
conditions. Keep in mind the traction
provided by snow tires on dry roads
may not be as high as your vehicle’s
original equipment tires. You should
drive cautiously even when the roads
areclear.Checkwiththetiredealer
f or maximum speed recommenda-
tions.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. 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.
Snow T ires
T ire Chains
Tires
Maint enance329
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.
µ
µ µ
If your vehicle needs to be towed,
call a prof essional towing service or,
if youbelongtoone,anorganization
that provides roadside assistance.
Never tow your vehicle behind
another vehicle with just a rope or
chain. It is very dangerous.
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 vehicle
of f the ground. Your vehicle’s sus-
pension 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 vehicle must be towed
with the f ront wheels on the ground,
do the f ollowing. With the f ront wheels on the ground,
it is best to tow the vehicle no farther
than 50 miles (80 km), and keep the
speedbelow35mph(55km/h).
There are three popular types of
prof essional towing equipment.
The operator
loads your vehicle on the back of a
truck.
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. Release the parking brake.
Start the engine.
ShifttoD,thentoN.
Turn of f the engine.Sling-t ype Equipment
Flat -bed Equipment Wheel-lif t Equipment
T his method of towing
is unacceptable.
This is the best way to trans-
port your Honda.
T his is
an acceptable way to tow your
Honda.
Emergency T owing
T aking Care of t he Unexpect ed380
Improper towing preparation will
damage the transmission. Follow the
above procedure exactly. If you cannot
shif t the transmission or start the
engine, your vehicle must be trans-
ported with the f ront wheels of f the
ground.
µµÎ
Î
Î
Î
Î
Î
Î
Î
Specif ications
T echnical Inf ormation386
Dimensions
Weights
Air Conditioning Capacities
201.2 in (5,110 mm)
75.6 in (1,920 mm)
5.3 US qt (5.0
, 4.4 Imp qt)
2.6 US qt (2.5
, 2.2 Imp qt)
Including the coolant in the reserve tank and that remaining in the
engine.
Reserve tank capacity:
0.16 US gal (0.6
, 0.13 Imp gal)
Excluding the oil remaining in the engine. 4.6 US qt (4.4
, 3.9 Imp qt)
4.2 US qt (4.0
, 3.5 Imp qt)
2.48 US gal (9.4
, 2.07 Imp gal)
3.5 US qt (3.3
, 2.9 Imp qt)
8.3 US qt (7.9, 7.0 Imp qt)
4.8 US qt (4.5
, 4.0 Imp qt)
HFC-134a (R-134a)
66.1 in (1,680 mm) 66.1 in (1,680 mm)
118.1 in (3,000 mm) 68.5 in (1,740 mm)
32 34 oz (850 900 g) ND-OIL8 20.00 US gal (75.7
, 16.65 Imp gal)
1.98 US gal (7.5, 1.65 Imp gal)
69.7 in (1,770 mm)
Length
Width
Height
Wheelbase
Track
Gross vehicle weight rating
Gross combined weight
rating (GCWR) See the tire information label atta-
ched to the driver’s doorjamb.
Refrigerant type
Charge quantity
Lubricant type Fuel tank
Engine
coolant
Engine oil
Automatic
transmission
fluid
Windshield
washer
reservoir
8,265 lbs (3,750 kg) Approx.
Front
Rear
1:
2:Change
Total
Change
Including
filter
Without
filter
Total
Change
Total
U.S. Vehicles
Canada Vehicles
1: LX
2: EX,EX-L1
2
1
2
µ
µ
µ
µ
µ
µ
µ
µ
µ
µ
µ
µ
µ
µ
µ
Specif ications
T echnical Inf ormation387
Lights
Battery
Fuses Engine
Alignment
Tires
12 V 21 W
12 V 21/5 W
3.50 x 3.66 in (89.0 x 93.0 mm)
212 cu-in (3,471 cm
)
10 : 1
0.00 in (0.0 mm)
0.00 in (0.0 mm) 0°
0°30’
2°07’
225/60R16 98T
T135/80D16 101M
36 psi (250 kPa , 2.5 kgf/cm
)
60 psi (420 kPa , 4.2 kgf/cm)
24/2.2 CP
12 V 1.8 W 12 V 8 W 12 V 21 W
12 V 3 CP 2CP
21 CP (18 W)
4CP
10 W
12 V
12 V
12 V
12 V 12 V
60/55 W (HB2)
12 V
65 AH/20 HR 52 AH/5 HR
12 V
12 V
Headlights
Front turn signal/parking/side
marker lights
Rear turn signal lights
Stop/Taillights/Rear side
marker lights
Taillights
Back-up lights
License plate light
High-mount brake light
Individual map lights
Cargo area light
Vanity mirror lights
Capacity
Interior
Under-hood Type
BorexStroke
Displacement
Compression ratio
Spark plugs
Toe-in
Camber
Caster
Size
Pressure
See page 379or the fuse label
attached to the dashboard.
See page 379or the fuse label
attached to the inside of the fuse
box door under the dashboard. See spark plug maintenance sec-
tion page 316 .
See pages 377and 378or the fuse
box cover.
High/Low
Front/Rear
Spare
Front/Rear
Spare Front
Rear
Front
Rear
Front
Front
Rear
Driver’s side
Passenger’s side (Amber)
Water cooled 4-stroke SOHC VTEC,
6-cylinder, gasoline engine