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.
Comf ort and Convenience Feat ures
Heating and Cooling
92
RECIRCULATION
BUTTON
AIR CONDITIONING
BUTTON
FAN CONTROL LEVER MODE CONTROL DIAL
TEMPERATURE CONTROL DIAL
You can improve f uel economy by
driving moderately. Rapid acceler-
ation, abrupt cornering, and hard
braking use more f uel.
Always drive in the highest gear that
allows the engine to run and acceler-
ate smoothly.
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 tocombine several short trips into one.
The condition of your car and your
driving habits are the two most
important things that affect the fuel
mileage you get.
Always maintain your car according
to the maintenance schedule. This
will keep it in top operating condition.
Depending on traf f ic conditions, try
to maintain a constant speed. Every
time you slow down and speed up,
your car uses extra f uel. Use the
cruise control, when appropriate, to
increase f uel economy.The air conditioning puts an extra
load on the engine which makes it
usemorefuel.Turnoff theA/Cto
cut down on air conditioning use.
Use the f low-through ventilation
when the outside air temperature is
moderate.
In winter, the build-up of snow on
your car’s underside adds weight and
rolling resistance. Frequent cleaning
helps your f uel mileage and reduces
thechanceof corrosion. 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. 159 Driving Habits
Car Condition
Owner Maintenance
Checks
Bef ore Driving
Fuel Economy
125
µ
µ
Exercise extra caution when driving
in rain af ter a long dry spell. Af ter
months of dry weather, the f irst
rains bring oil to the surf ace of the
roadway, making it slippery. Being able to see
clearly in all directions and being
visible to other drivers are important
in all weather conditions. This is
more dif f icult in bad weather. To be
seen more clearly during daylight
hours, turn on your headlights.
Inspect your windshield wipers and
washers f requently. Keep the wind-
shield washer reservoir f ull of the
proper f luid. Have the windshield
wiper blades replaced if they start to
streak the windshield or leave parts
unwiped. Use the def rosters and air
conditioning to keep the windows
f rom f ogging up on the inside (see
page ).
Rain, f og, and snow conditions
require a dif f erent driving technique
because of reduced traction and
visibility. Keep your car well-
maintained and exercise greater
caution when you need to drive in
bad weather. The cruise control
should not be used in these
conditions. Always drive
slower than you would in dry
weather. It takes your car longer to
react, even in conditions that may
seem just barely damp. Apply
smooth, even pressure to all the
controls. Abrupt steering wheel
movements or sudden, hard appli-
cation of the brakes can cause loss of
control in wet weather. Be extra
cautious f or the f irst f ew miles
(kilometers) of driving while you
adjust to the change in driving
conditions. This is especially true in
snow. A person can f orget some
snow-driving techniques during the
summer months. Practice is needed
to relearn those skills. 91
Driving in Bad Weather
Driving
Visibility
Driving T echnique
144
This section also includes
Maintenance Schedules f or normal
driving and severe driving conditions,
a Maintenance Record, and instruc-
tions f or simple maintenance tasks
you may want to take care of
yourself . This section explains why it is
important to keep your car well
maintained and how to f ollow basic
maintenance saf ety precautions.
If you have the skills and tools to per-
f orm more complex maintenance
tasks on your Honda, you may want
to purchase the Service Manual. See
page f or inf ormation on how to
obtain a copy, or see your Honda
dealer.......................
Maintenance Saf ety .148
.
Important Safety Precautions . 149
.................
Maintenance Schedule . 150
...
Required Maintenance Record . 157
.......
Owner Maintenance Checks . 159
..............................
Fluid Locations .160
......................................
Engine Oil .161
..................................
Adding Oil .161
....................
Recommended Oil .161
..............................
Synthetic Oil .162
....................................
Additives .162
.....
Changing the Oil and Filter . 163
.............................
Cooling System .165
............
Adding Engine Coolant . 165
.......
Replacing Engine Coolant . 167
....................
Windshield Washers .171
6-speed Manual Transmission ...........................................
Fluid .172
..........................
Dif f erential Fluid .173
................
Brake and Clutch Fluid . 174
............................
Brake System .174
...........................
Clutch System .175
.....................
Air Cleaner Element .176
....................................
Hood Latch .178 ....................................
Spark Plugs .178
..............................
Replacement .178
............................
Specif ications .180
...........................................
Battery .181
.................................
Wiper Blades .184
..............
Air Conditioning System . 186
..................
Dust and Pollen Filter . 187
.......................................
Drive Belt .188
...............................................
Tires .189
......................................
Inf lation .189
..................................
Inspection .191
..............................
Maintenance .192
.............................
Tire Rotation .192
...................................
Tire Wear .192
...
Replacing Tires and Wheels . 193
......................
Wheels and Tires .194
..........................
Winter Driving .194
.............................
Snow Tires .195
............................
Tire Chains .195
.............................................
Lights .196
.....................
Headlight Aiming .198
........................
Replacing Bulbs .198
...........................
Storing Your Car .206
267
Maintenance
Maint enance147
Run the air conditioning at least once
a week during the cold weather
months. Run it f or at least ten
minutes while you are driving at a
steady speed with the engine at
normal operating temperature. This
circulates the lubricating oil con-
tained in the ref rigerant.If the air conditioning does not get as
cold as before, have your dealer
check the system. Recharge the
system with Ref rigerant HFC-134a
(R-134a). (See Specif ications on page
.)
Your car’s air conditioning is a sealed
system. Any major maintenance,
such as recharging, should be done
by a qualif ied mechanic. You can do
a couple of things to make sure the
air conditioning works ef f iciently.
Periodically check the engine’s
radiator and air conditioning
condenser f or leaves, insects, and
dirt stuck to the f ront surf ace. These
block the air f low and reduce cooling
ef f iciency. Use a light spray f rom a
hose or a sof t brush to remove them. 251
A ir Condit ioning Syst em
Maint enance186
AIR CONDITIONING CONDENSER
Whenever you have the air conditioning
system serviced, make sure the service
f acility uses a ref rigerant recycling
system. This system captures the
ref rigerant f or reuse. Releasing
ref rigerant into the atmosphere can
damage the environment.
The condenser and radiator f ins bend
easily. Only use a low-pressure spray
or sof t-bristle brush to clean them.
µ
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T echnical Inf ormation
Specif ications
251
Tires Battery
Alignment Fuses
Air conditioning Lights 55 W
12 V 12 V 36 AH/5 HR
0.00 in (0.0 mm)
0.24 in (6.0 mm)0°30’
6°
205/55R16 89W
225/50R16 92W
32 psi (220 kPa , 2.2 kgf/cm
)
Size
Pressure
32 psi (220 kPa , 2.2 kgf/cm)
60 psi (420 kPa , 4.2 kgf/cm)
Capacity
Toe
Camber
Caster Under-hood
Interior
T125/70D16 96M1°30’
Refrigerant type
Charge quantity
Lubricant type SP-10
19.4 21.2 oz (550 600 g) HFC-134a (R-134a)
12 V 5 W 12 V 5 W
12 V 5 W
12 V 21 W
12 V 5 W
12 V 5 W
12 V 21 W/5 W
12 V 21 W
12 V 21 W
12 V 55 W(H1)
35 W
12 V 5 W 12 V
Headlights
Daytime running lights
Front turn signal lights
Rear turn signal lights
Stop/Taillights
Side marker lights
Back-up lights
License plate light
Interior light
Trunk light
Side turn signal lights See page
242or the fuse box
cover.
See page 241or the fuse label
attached to the inside of the fuse
box door under the dashboard.
Front
Rear
Front
Rear
Front
Rear
Frontin
Front
Rear
Spare Tire
Front
Rear
Spare Tire
High
Low
CONT INUED
............................
Capacities Chart .250
.............
Carbon Monoxide Hazard . 40
............................
Cargo, Carrying .128
..............
CAUTION, Explanation of . ii
...................................
CD Changer .108
.......................................
CD Player .105
........................
Certif ication Label .248
............................................
Chains .195
........
Back-up Lamp Replacement . 202
Battery Charging System ...........................
Indicator .46, 233
............................
Jump Starting .226
..............................
Maintenance .181
............................
Specif ications .251
..............................
Bef ore Driving .119
..........................................
Belts, Seat .8
.............................
Beverage Holder .82
...................................
Body Repair .215
............................................
Brakes .140
...........
Anti-lock System (ABS) . 141
.............
Break-in, New Linings . 120
....................
Bulb Replacement .202
...........................................
Fluid .174
.........................................
Parking .81
.................
System Indicator . 46,236
..............
Wear Indicators, Disc . 140
.............................
Braking System .140
........................
Break-in, New Car .120 ..
Brightness Control, Instruments . 54
........................
Brights, Headlights .53
.........................
Bulb Replacement .198
..........................
Back-up Lights .202
..............................
Brake Lights .202
.................................
Headlights .198
.................
License Plate Lights . 204
..................
Side Marker Lights . 200
............................
Specif ications .251
....................
Turn Signal Lights . 200
..............................
Bulbs, Halogen .198
Accessories
.................................
Installation .126
...............
Accessory Power Socket . 82
ACCESSORY (Ignition Key .......................................
Position) .61
....................
Additives, Engine Oil . 162
.....................................
Airbag (SRS) .9
.....................
Air Cleaner Element .176
..............................
Air Conditioning .86
..............................
Maintenance .186
............................................
Usage .86
.........................
Air Outlets (Vents) .88
.......................
Air Pressure, Tires .189
...........................
Alarm, Anti-theft .114
.......................
Alcohol in Gasoline .255
.......
Aluminum Wheels, Cleaning . 210
......................................
Antif reeze .165
Anti-lock Brakes (ABS) ....................
Indicator Light .47, 143
...................................
Operation .141
.
Anti-thef t Steering Column Lock . 60
..........................
Anti-thef t System .114
..........................
Appearance Care .207
......................................
Audio Panel .82 ..................................
Audio System .94
.............
Automatic Speed Control . 115
Index
B
A
C
I