Page 39 of 280

An indicator light on the
instrument panel that alerts you to
a possible problem with the
system (see page ).
Emergency backup power in case
your car’s electrical system is
disconnected in a crash.
Your Supplemental Restraint System
(SRS) includes:
Two f ront airbags. The driver’s
airbag is stored in the center of
the steering wheel; the f ront
passenger’sairbagisstoredinthe
dashboard. Both are marked ‘‘SRS
AIRBAG.’’
Automatic seat belt tensioners
(see page ).
Sensors that can detect a
moderate to severe frontal
collision.
A sophisticated electronic system
that continually monitors
inf ormation about the sensors, the
control unit, and the airbag
activators when the ignition is ON
(II). If you ever have a moderate to
severe f rontal collision, the sensors
will detect rapid deceleration and
signal the control unit to instantly
inflate the airbags and activate the
automatic seat belt tensioners.
34 38
Additional Inf ormation About Your SRS
Driver and Passenger Saf ety
SRS Components
How Your A irbags Work
36
Page 40 of 280

Af ter inf lating, the airbags
immediately def late, so they won’t
interf ere with the driver’s visibility,
or the ability to steer or operate
other controls.
The total time for inflation and
def lation is approximately one-tenth
of a second, so f ast that most
occupants are not aware that the
airbags deployed until they see them
lying in their laps.
This can occur when the severity of
a collision is at the margin, or
threshold, that determines whether
or not the airbags will deploy. In
such cases, the seat belt will provide
suf f icient protection, and the
supplemental protection of f ered by
the airbag would be minimal. During a crash, your seat belt helps
restrain your lower body and torso,
while the tensioner tightens and
locks the seat belt to help keep you
in place. Your airbag provides a
cushion to help restrain and protect
your head and chest.
Since both airbags use the same
sensors, both airbags normally
inf late at the same time. However, it
is possible f or only one airbag to
inf late. After a crash, you may see what
looks like smoke. This is actually
powder f rom the airbag’s surf ace.
Although the powder is not harmf ul,
people with respiratory problems
mayexperiencesometemporary
discomf ort. If this occurs, get out of
the car as soon as it is safe to do so.
For additional information on how
your airbags work, see the booklet
titled
that came with your
owner’s manual.
For additional information on how
your airbags work, ask your dealer
f or a copy of the booklet titled
SRS: What You Need to Know
About Airbags
SRS:
What You Need to Know About Airbags
.
U.S. Owners
Canadian Owners
Driver and Passenger Saf ety
Additional Inf ormation About Your SRS
37
Page 217 of 280
Repair chips and scratches in the
paint as soon as you discover them.
Inspect and clean out the drain
holes in the bottom of the doors
and body.
Check the floor coverings for
dampness. Carpeting and f loor
mats may remain damp f or a long
time, especially in winter. This
dampness can eventually cause
the f loor panels to corrode.Use a high-pressure spray to clean
the underside of your car. This is
especially important in areas that
useroadsaltinwinter.Itisalsoa
good idea in humid climates and
areas subject to salt air. Be careful
of the ABS wheel sensors and
wiring at each wheel.
Have the corrosion-preventive
coatings on the underside of your
car inspected and repaired
periodically.
Many corrosion-preventive measures
are built into your Honda. You can
help keep your car f rom corroding
by perf orming some simple periodic
maintenance:
Corrosion Prot ect ion
Appearance Care214
Page 259 of 280
If you are planning to take your
Honda outside the U.S. or Canada,
contact the tourist bureaus in the
areas you will be traveling in to f ind
out about the availability of unleaded
gasoline with the proper octane
rating.
If unleaded gasoline is not available,
be aware that using leaded gasoline
in your Honda will af f ect perf or-
mance and fuel mileage, and damage
its emissions controls. It will no
longer comply with U.S. and
Canadian emissions regulations, and
will be illegal to operate in North
America. To bring your car back into
compliance will require the replace-
ment of several components, such as
theoxygensensorsandthethree
way catalytic converter. These re-
placements are not covered under
warranty.
Driving in Foreign Countries
T echnical Inf ormation256
Page 261 of 280

This system constantly adjusts the
ignition timing, reducing the amount
of HC, CO, and NOx produced.
The exhaust emissions controls
include f our systems: PGM-FI,
Ignition Timing Control, Secondary
Air Injection System, and Three Way
Catalytic Converter. These four
systems work together to control the
engine’s combustion and minimize
the amount of HC, CO, and NOx that
comes out the tailpipe. The exhaust
emissions control systems are
separate f rom the crankcase and
evaporative emissions control
systems. During engine warm-up, air is
pumped into the exhaust to reduce
emissions when the engine is cold.
The three way catalytic converter is
in the exhaust system. Through
chemical reactions, it converts HC,
CO, and NOx in the engine’s exhaust
to carbon dioxide (CO ), dinitrogen
(N ), and water vapor.The emissions control systems are
designed and certif ied to work to-
gether in reducing emissions to
levels that comply with the Clean Air
Act. To make sure the emissions
remain low, you should use only new
Genuine Honda replacement parts or
their equivalent f or repairs. Using
lowerqualitypartsmayincreasethe
emissions f rom your car.
The PGM-FI System uses sequential
multiport f uel injection. It has three
subsystems: Air Intake, Engine
Control, and Fuel Control. The
Engine Control Module (ECM) uses
various sensors to determine how
much air is going into the engine. It
then controls how much f uel to inject
under all operating conditions. The emissions control systems are
covered by warranties separate from
the rest of your car. Read your
warranty manual f or more informa-
tion.
The Onboard Ref ueling Vapor
Recovery (ORVR) system captures
the f uel vapors during ref ueling. The
vapors are adsorbed in a canister
f illed with activated carbon. While
driving, the f uel vapors are drawn
into the engine and burned of f .
2
2
Exhaust Emissions Controls Replacement Parts
Onboard Ref ueling Vapor
Recovery
PGM-FI Syst em Ignit ion T iming Cont rol Syst em
Secondary A ir Inject ion Syst emThree Way Catalytic Converter
Emissions Cont rols
T echnical Inf ormation258