This section gives you important
inf ormation about how to protect
yourself and your passenger. It
shows you how to use seat belts
properly. It explains your Supple-
mental Restraint System. And it tells
you how to properly restrain children
in your car..........
Important Safety Precautions . 6
.............
Your Car’s Saf ety Features . 7
.......................................
Seat Belts .8
...........................................
Airbags .9
.....................
Seats & Seat-Backs .10
..........................
Head Restraints .10
..................................
Door Locks .10
........
Pre-Drive Saf ety Checklist . 11
............................
Protecting Adults .12
.....
1. Close and Lock the Doors . 12
...........
2. Adjust the Front Seats . 12
............
3. Adjust the Seat-Backs . 13
4. Fasten and Position the Seat .....................................
Belts .15
5. Maintain a Proper Sitting ................................
Position .16
.....
Advice f or Pregnant Women . 17
...
Additional Safety Precautions . 18
........................
Protecting Children .18
All Children Must Be ...............................
Restrained .19
Your Car is Not Recommended ..............
f or Child Passengers . 19
The Passenger’s Airbag Poses ......
Serious Risks to Children . 20
...
Additional Safety Precautions . 22General Guidelines f or Using
...............................
Child Seats .22
.........
Protecting Small Children . 26
.......
Protecting Larger Children . 29
Additional Inf ormation About Your .................................
Seat Belts .33
..
Seat Belt System Components . 33
......................
Lap/Shoulder Belt .33
Automatic Seat Belt ...............................
Tensioners .34
...............
Seat Belt Maintenance . 34
Additional Inf ormation About Your ...........................................
SRS .36
........................
SRS Components .36
...........
How Your Airbags Work . 36
How the SRS Indicator Light .......................................
Works .38
..................................
SRS Service .39
...
Additional Safety Precautions . 39
.............
Carbon Monoxide Hazard . 40
...................................
Saf ety Labels .41
Driver and Passenger Saf ety
Driver and Passenger Saf ety
5
During this period:Avoid full-throttle starts and rapid
acceleration. Do not exceed
5,500 rpm f or the f irst 600 miles
(1,000 km) of operation.
Help assure your car’s f uture
reliability and perf ormance by paying
extra attention to how you drive
during the f irst 600 miles (1,000 km).
Using gasoline containing lead will
damage your car’s emissions
controls. This contributes to air
pollution.
In Canada, some gasolines contain
an octane-enhancing additive called
MMT. If you use such gasolines,
your emission control system
perf ormance may deteriorate and
the Malf unction Indicator Lamp on
your instrument panel may turn on.
If this happens, contact your
authorized Honda dealer f or service.
We recommend gasolines containing
detergent additives that help prevent
f uel system and engine deposits. If you are unable to f ind premium
unleaded gasoline, you may substi-
tute an unleaded regular gasoline.
The engine will compensate f or the
lower octane, but you may notice a
slight decrease in power as a result. Your Honda is designed to operate
on premium unleaded gasoline with a
pump octane number of 91 or higher. Youshouldfollowthesesamere-
commendations with an overhauled
or exchanged engine, or when the
brakes are relined.
Avoidhardbraking.Newbrakes
need to be broken-in by moderate
use f or the f irst 200 miles (300
km).
Do not change the oil until the
recommended time or mileage
intervalshowninthemaintenance
schedule.
Break-in Period
Gasoline
Bef ore Driving
Break-in Period, Gasoline
120
Standing in f ront of the car, put
your f ingers under the f ront edge
of the hood to the right of center.
Slide your hand to the lef t until
you f eel the hood latch handle.
Push this handle to the lef t until itreleases the hood. Lif t the hood.
If you can open the hood without
lifting the hood latch handle, or
the hood latch handle moves
stif f ly or does not spring back as
bef ore, the mechanism should be
cleaned and lubricated (see page
).
Stop f illing the tank af ter the f uel
nozzle automatically clicks of f . Do
not try to ‘‘top off’’ the tank, leave
some room f or the f uel to expand
with temperature changes.
Shif t to Neutral and set the
parking brake. Pull the hood
release handle located under the
lower lef t corner of the dashboard.
The hood will pop up slightly.
Push the f uel f ill door closed until
it latches. Screw the f uel f ill cap back on,
tighten it until it clicks several
times. If you do not properly
tighten the cap, the Malfunction
Indicator Lamp may come on (see
page ). Your car has an on-board ref ueling
vapor recovery system to help
keep f uel vapors f rom going into
the atmosphere. If the fuel nozzle
keeps clicking of f even though the
tank is not f ull, there may be a
problem with this system. Consult
your dealer. 1.
4.
5.
2.
6. 178
234
Service Station Procedures
Bef ore Driving
Opening the Hood
122
RELEASE HANDLE
This indicator should come on when
the ignition switch is ON (II), and go
out af ter the engine starts. If it
comes on brightly when the engine
is running, it indicates that the
charging system has stopped
charging the battery.By eliminating as much of the
electrical load as possible, you can
drive several miles (kilometers)
before the battery is too discharged
to keep the engine running. Drive to
a service station or garage where
you can get technical assistance.
Immediately turn of f all electrical
accessories:radio,heater,A/C,
cruise control, etc. Try not to use
other electrically-operated controls
such as the power windows. Keep
the engine running and take extra
care not to stall it. Starting the
engine will discharge the battery
rapidly.
Charging System Indicator
T aking Care of t he Unexpect ed233
CHARGING SYSTEM INDICATOR
If it comes on at any other time, it
indicates a problem with the car’s
brake system. In most cases, the
problem is a low f luid level in the
brake f luid reservoir. Press lightly on
the brake pedal to see if it f eels
normal. If it does, check the brake
f luid level the next time you stop at a
service station (see page ). If the
fluid level is low, take the car to your
dealer and have the brake system
inspected f or leaks or worn brake
pads.
However, if the brake pedal does not
f eel normal, you should take
immediate action. Because of the
brake system’s dual-circuit design, a
problem in one part of the system
will still give you braking at two
wheels. You will f eel the brake pedal
go down much f arther bef ore the car
begins to slow down, and you will
have to press harder on the pedal.
The distance needed to stop will be
much longer.
The Brake System Indicator
normallycomesonwhenyouturn
the ignition switch ON (II). It is a
reminder to check the parking brake.
It comes on and stays lit if you do not
f ully release the parking brake. Slow down by shif ting to a lower
gear, and pull to the side of the road
when it is saf e. Because of the
longer distance needed to stop, it is
hazardous to drive the car. You
should have it towed, and repaired as
soon as possible. (See
on page .)
If you must drive the car a short
distance in this condition, drive
slowly and cautiously.
174
245
Brake System Indicator
T aking Care of t he Unexpect ed
Emergency
Towing
236
BRAKE SYSTEM INDICATOR
Recovery Vehicle, Emergency.......................................
Towing .245
.............................
Reminder Lights .45
.......................
Remote Transmitter .63
Replacement Inf ormation ................................
Air Cleaner .176
..........................
Engine Coolant .167
................
Engine Oil and Filter . 163
..........................................
Fuses .239
................................
Light Bulbs .198
....................................
Schedule .150
................................
Spark Plugs .178
...........................................
Tires .193
.............................
Wiper Blades .184
Replacing Seat Belts Af ter a ............................................
Crash .34
...............................
Restraint, Child .19
................................
Rotation, Tire .192
........................................
Saf ety Belts .8
............
Safety Defects, Reporting . 266
.............
Saf ety Labels, Location of . 41
...............................
Saf ety Messages .ii ...........................................
Seat Belts .8
...............
Additional Information . 33
.....
Advice f or Pregnant Women . 17
.....................................
Cleaning .212
......................
Lap/Shoulder Belt .33
................................
Maintenance .34
......
Reminder Light and Beeper . 46
...................
System Components . 33
...............
Use During Pregnancy . 17
........................
Seats, Adjusting the .69
...............................
Serial Number .248
...........................
Service Intervals .150
.............................
Service Manual .267
.........
Service Station Procedures . 121
Shif ting The 6-speed Manual .........................
Transmission .137
Side Marker Lights, Bulb .........................
Replacement in .200
...............................
Signaling Turns .55
6-speed Manual Transmission ...............
Checking Fluid Level . 172
................................
Shif ting the .137
.....................................
Snow Tires .195
...................
Solvent-type Cleaners . 208
..................................
Sound System .94 Spare Tire
......................................
Inf lating .218
............................
Specif ications .251
................
Spark Plugs, Replacing . 178
....................
Specif ications Charts . 250
................................
Speed Control .115
...................................
Speedometer .49
..........
SRS, Additional Inf ormation . 36
...
Additional Safety Precautions . 39
How the Automatic Seat Belt ....................
Tensioners Work .34
How the SRS Indicator .......................................
Works .38
...........
How Your Airbags Work . 36
........................
SRS Components .36
..................................
SRS Service .39
..................
SRS Indicator Light . 38,47
.......................
Starting the Engine .135
In Cold Weather at High ..................................
Altitude .136
................
With a Dead Battery . 226
..............
State Emissions Testing . 260
........
Steam Coming f rom Engine . 229
Steering Wheel .............
Anti-theft Column Lock . 60
.....................
Stereo Sound System .94
Index
S
VI