Page 165 of 301
To Open the Hood:Park the vehicle, 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.
Screw the fuel fill cap back on
until it clicks at least three times.
If you do not properly tighten the
cap, the Malf unction Indicator
Lampmaycomeon(seepage
).
Push the f uel f ill door closed until
it latches.
Put your f ingers under the f ront
edge of the hood to the right of
the center. Slide your hand to the
lef t until you f eel the hood latch
handle. Push this handle up to
release it. Lift up the hood.
If the hood latch handle moves stif f ly,
or if you can open the hood without
lifting the handle, the mechanism
should be cleaned and lubricated.
1.
2.
5. 6.
260
Service Station Procedure
Bef ore Driving
Opening and Closing the Hood
166
HOOD RELEASE HANDLE
LATCH
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Page 166 of 301
Pull the support rod out of its clip
and insert the end into the hole on
the front of the hood near the
center.
To Close the Hood:
Lif t it up slightly to remove the
support rod f rom the hole. Put the
support rod back into its holding clip.
Lower the hood to about a f oot (30 cm) above the f ender, then let it
drop. Make sure it is securely
latched.
Lif t the hood up most of the way.
The hydraulic supports will lif t it
uptherestof thewayandholditup.
Lower it to about a f oot (30 cm)
above the f ender, then press down
f irmly with your hands. Make sure it is securely latched.
To Close the Hood:
3.
4-cylinder models
4-cylinder models 6-cylinder models
Service Station Procedure
Bef ore Driving167
SUPPORT ROD
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Page 167 of 301
Wait a f ew minutes af ter turning the
engine of f bef ore you check the oil.Remove the dipstick. Wipe the dipstick with a clean
cloth or paper towel.
Insert it all the way back in its hole.Remove the dipstick again and
check the level. It should be
between the upper and lower
marks.
If it is near or below the lower mark,
see on page .
1.
2. 3.4.
214
Service Station Procedure
Bef ore Driving
Oil Check
A dding Oil
168
4-cylinder models6-cylinder models
DIPSTICK
(Orange Handle)
DIPSTICK
(Orange Loop)
4-cylinder models UPPER MARK
LOWER MARK
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Page 168 of 301
Look at the coolant level in the
radiator reserve tank. Make sure it is
between the MAX and MIN lines. If
it is below the MIN line, seeon page f or
inf ormation on adding the proper
coolant. Refer to
on page f or inf ormation
on checking other items in your
Honda.
219 203
Service Station Procedure
Bef ore Driving
Engine Coolant Check
A dding
Engine Coolant Owner’s Maintenance
Checks
169
UPPER MARK
LOWER MARK RESERVE TANK
4-cylinder models MIN
MAX MAX
RESERVE TANK
6-cylinder models MIN
6-cylinder models
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Page 196 of 301

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.
All weights and loads are within
limits (see pages and ).
Thehitch,safetychains,andany
other attachments are secure.
Allitemsonandinthetrailerare
properly secured and cannot shif t
while you drive.
The lights and brakes on your
vehicle and the trailer are working
properly. Your vehicle tires and spare are
properly inf lated (see page ),
and the trailer tires and spare are
trailer maker.
Crosswinds and air turbulence
caused by passing trucks can disrupt
your steering and cause trailer
swaying. When being passed by a
large vehicle, keep a constant speed
and steer straight ahead. Do not try
to make quick steering or braking
corrections. Always drive slowly and have
someone guide you when backing up.
Grip the of the steering
wheel; then turn the wheel to the lef t
to get the trailer to move to the lef t,
andturnthewheelrighttomovethe
trailer to the right.
Follow all normal precautions when
parking, including f irmly setting the
parking brake and putting the
transmission in Park (automatic) or
in 1st or Reverse (manual). Also,
place wheel chocks at each of the
trailer’s tires.
194 195 238
bottom
Towing a Trailer
Driving
Pre-T ow Checklist
Handling Crosswinds and Buf f et ing
Backing Up
Parking
197
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Page 198 of 301

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 .
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.
This section explains why it is
important to keep your vehicle well
maintained and how to f ollow basic
maintenance saf ety precautions.
......................
Maintenance Saf ety . 200
.................
Maintenance Schedule . 201
............
Servicing Your Vehicle . 202
Owner’s Maintenance
...................................
Checks . 203
.....................
4-cylinder Models . 204
.....................
6-cylinder Models . 206
....................
Maintenance Record . 208
..............................
Fluid Locations . 212
........................
Adding Engine Oil . 214
.......
Recommended Engine Oil . 214
..............................
Synthetic Oil . 215
................
Engine Oil Additives . 215
.........
Changing the Oil and Filter . 216
....................
Windshield Washers . 218
..............................
Engine Coolant . 219
............
Adding Engine Coolant . 219
.......................
Transmission Fluid . 221
Automatic .........................
Transmission . 221
5-speed Manual .........................
Transmission . 224
................
Brake and Clutch Fluid . 225
................................
Brake Fluid . 225
...............................
Clutch Fluid . 226
....................
Power Steering Fluid . 226 ....................................
Timing Belt . 227
....................................
Hood Latch . 227
.............................................
Lights . 228
........................
Replacing Bulbs . 228
.........................................
Seat Belt . 235
.....................................
Floor Mats . 235
..................
Dust and Pollen Filter . 235
.................................
Wiper Blades . 236
...............................................
Tires . 238
......................................
Inf lation . 238
..........................
Tire Inspection . 240
.....................
Tire Maintenance . 240
.............................
Tire Rotation . 241
.........................
Replacing Tires . 241
......................
Wheels and Tires . 242
..........................
Winter Driving . 242
.............................
Snow Tires . 242
............................
Tire Chains . 243
................
Checking Your Battery . 244
.............................
Vehicle Storage . 246
291
Maintenance
Maint enance199
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Page 199 of 301

All service items not detailed in this
section should be perf ormed by a
Honda technician or other qualif ied
mechanic.
To eliminate potential hazards, read
the instructions bef ore you begin,
and make sure you have the tools
and skills required.To clean parts, use a commercially
available degreaser or parts
cleaner, not gasoline.
To reduce the possibility of f ire or
explosion, keep cigarettes, sparks,
and f lames away f rom the battery
and all f uel-related parts.
Wear eye protection and
protective clothing when
working near the battery or
when using compressed air. Be sure
there is adequate ventilation
whenever you operate the
engine. Let the
engine and exhaust system cool
bef ore touching any parts. Do
not run the engine unless
instructed to do so. Some of the most important saf ety
precautions are given here. However,
we cannot warn you of every
conceivable hazard that can arise in
perf orming maintenance. Only you
can decide whether or not you
should perf orm a given task.
Make sure your vehicle is parked
on level ground, the parking brake
is set, and the engine is of f .
Maintenance Saf ety
Maint enance
Important Saf ety Precautions
Carbon Monoxide poison
f rom engine exhaust.
Burns f rom hot parts.
Injury f rom moving parts.
Potential Vehicle Hazards
200
Failure to properly follow
maintenance instructions and
precautions can cause you to
be seriously hurt or killed.
Always follow the procedures
and precautions in this owner’smanual.
Improperly maintaining this
vehicle or failing to correct a
problem before driving can
cause a crash in which you can
be seriously hurt or killed.
Always follow the inspection,
maintenance recommendations,
and schedules in this owner’smanual.
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Page 200 of 301

µµ
Follow the
Maintenance Schedule f or Severe
Conditions if you drive your vehicle
MAINLY under one or more of the
f ollowing conditions.
Driving less than 5 miles (8 km)
per trip or, in f reezing
temperatures, driving less than 10
miles (16 km) per trip.
Driving in extremely hot [over
90°F (32°C)] conditions.
Used primarily as a delivery
vehicle or taxi that is driven
mostly in stop-and-go traf f ic and/
or parked with the engine idling. Trailer towing, driving with a roof
top carrier, or driving in
mountainous conditions.
Driving on muddy, dusty, or de-
iced roads.
If you only
drive under a ‘‘severe’’ condition, you
should f ollow the Normal Conditions
Maintenance Schedule.
The maintenance schedule assumes
you will use your vehicle as normal
transportation for passengers and
their possessions. You should also
f ollow these recommendations:
Service your vehicle according to the
time and mileage periods on one of
the Maintenance Schedules on the
f ollowing pages.
Follow the
Maintenance Schedule f or Severe
Conditions.
Avoid exceeding your vehicle’s
load limit. This puts excess stress
on the engine, brakes, and many
other vehicle parts. The load limit
is shown on the tire inf ormation
label on the driver’s doorjamb.
Operate your vehicle on
reasonable roads within the legal
speed limit.
Drive your vehicle regularly over a
distance of several miles
(kilometers).
Always use unleaded gasoline with
theproperoctanerating(seepage
).
164
OCCASIONALLY
Maintenance Schedule
Maint enance
Which Schedule to Follow
U.S. Owners
Canadian Owners
201
NOTE:
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