CONT INUED
If you need to change a headlight
bulb on the passenger’s side, remove
the bolt from the stay and push the
battery toward windshield to obtain
enough working space.Remove the electrical connector
f rom the bulb by pushing on the
tab and pulling the connector
down.
Remove the bulb by turning it one-
quarter turn counterclockwise.Push the electrical connector back
onto the bulb. Make sure it is on
all the way.
Turn on the headlights to test the
new bulb.
Put the battery back to its original
position, reinstall the bolt in the
stay and tighten it securely.
Reinstall the power steering
reservoir.
(Passenger’s side)
(Driver’s side)
Insert the new bulb into the hole
and turn it one-quarter turn clock-
wise to lock it in place.
2. 3. 4. 5.6. 7.
Lights
Maint enance165
STAY
TAB
BULB
CONNECTOR
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Check the condition of the battery
monthlybylookingatthetest
indicator window. The label on the
battery explains the test indicator’s
colors. If additional battery maintenance is
needed, see your Honda dealer or a
qualif ied technician.
Battery posts,
terminals, and related accessories
contain lead and lead compounds. If you need to connect the battery to
a charger, disconnect both cables to
prevent damaging your vehicle’s
electrical system. Always disconnect
the negative ( ) cable first, and
reconnect it last.
Check the terminals f or corrosion (a
white or yellowish powder). To
remove it, cover the terminals with a
solution of baking soda and water. It
will bubble up and turn brown. When
this stops, wash it of f with plain
water. Dry off the battery with a
cloth or paper towel. Coat the
terminals with grease to help prevent
f urther corrosion.
WARNING:
Wash your hands af ter handling.
Checking the Battery
Maint enance178
TEST INDICATOR WINDOW
The battery gives off explosive
hydrogen gas during normaloperation.
A spark or flame can cause the
battery to explode with enough
force to kill or seriously hurt you.
Wear protective clothing and a
face shield, or have a skilled
mechanic do the batterymaintenance.
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If you need to park your vehicle f or
an extended period (more than one
month), there are several things you
should do to prepare it f or storage.
Proper preparation helps prevent
deterioration and makes it easier to
get your vehicle back on the road. If
possible, store your vehicle indoors.Fill the f uel tank.
Change the engine oil and f ilter. Block the rear wheels.
If the vehicle is to be stored f or a
longer period, it should be
supported on jackstands so the
tires are of f the ground.
Leave one window open slightly (if
the car is being stored indoors).
Disconnect the battery.
Support the f ront wiper blade
arms with a f olded towel or rag so
they do not touch the windshield.
To minimize sticking, apply a
silicone spray lubricant to all door
and trunk seals. Also, apply a
vehiclebodywaxtothepainted
surfaces that mate with the door
and trunk seals.
Wash and dry the exterior
completely.
Cleantheinterior.Makesurethe
carpeting, floor mats, etc. are
completely dry.
Leave the parking brake off. Put
the transmission in Reverse
(5-speed manual) or Park
(automatic). Cover the vehicle with a
‘‘breathable’’ cover, one made
f rom a porous material such as
cotton. Non-porous materials, such
as plastic sheeting, trap moisture,
which can damage the paint.
If possible, run the engine f or a
while periodically until it reaches
full operating temperature (the
cooling f an cycle on and of f twice).
Pref erably once a month.
If you store your vehicle f or 12
months or longer, have your Honda
dealer perf orm the inspections called
f or in the 24 months/30,000 miles
maintenance schedule (Normal
Conditions) as soon as you take it
out of storage (see page ). The
replacements called f or in the
maintenance schedule are not
needed unless the vehicle has
actually reached that time or mileage. 145
Vehicle Storage
Maint enance179
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Diagnosing why your engine won’t
start f alls into two areas, depending
on what you hear when you turn the
key to START (III):You hear nothing, or almost
nothing. The engine’s starter
motor does not operate at all, or
operates very slowly.
You can hear the starter motor
operating normally, or the starter
motor sounds like it is spinning
f aster than normal, but the engine
does not start up and run. Check these things:
When you turn the ignition switch to
START (III), you do not hear the
normal noise of the engine trying to
start. You may hear a clicking sound
or series of clicks, or nothing at all.
Check the transmission interlock.
If you have a manual transmission,
the clutch pedal must be pushed
all the way to the f loor or the
starter will not operate. With an
automatic transmission, it must be
in Park or Neutral.
Turn the ignition switch to ON (II).
Turn on the headlights and check
their brightness. If the headlights
are very dim or don’t light at all,
the battery is discharged. See on page . Turn the ignition switch to START
(III). If the headlights do not dim,
check the condition of the f uses. If
the f uses are OK, there is
probably something wrong with
the electrical circuit f or the
ignition switch or starter motor.
You will need a qualif ied
technician to determine the
problem (see
on page ).
If the headlights dim noticeably or
go out when you try to start the
engine, either the battery is dis-
charged or the connections are
corroded. Check the condition of
the battery and terminal connec-
tions (see page ). You can
then try jump starting the vehicle
f rom a booster battery (see page
).
191 203
178
191
If theEngineWon’tStart
Nothing Happens or the Starter
Motor Operates Very Slowly
Jump Starting Emergency T owing
T aking Care of t he Unexpect ed189
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Although this seems like a simple
procedure, you should take several
precautions.
You cannot start a Honda with an
automatic transmission by pushing
or pulling it.
Connect the second jumper cable
to the negative ( ) terminal on
the booster battery. Connect the
other end to the grounding strap
as shown. Do not connect this
jumper cable to any other part of
the engine.
If the booster battery is in another
vehicle, have an assistant start
that vehicle and run it at a fast idle.
Open the hood and check the
physical condition of the battery.
In very cold weather, check the
condition of the electrolyte. If it
seems slushy or like ice, do not try
jump starting until it thaws.
Turn of f all the electrical acces-
sories: heater, A/C, climate
control, stereo system, lights, etc.
Put the transmission in Neutral or
Park, and set the parking brake.
Connect one jumper cable to the
positive ( ) terminal on your
battery. Connect the other end to
the positive ( ) terminal on the
booster battery.
3.
5.
1. 2.
4.
CONT INUED
Jump Starting
T aking Care of t he Unexpect ed
To Jump Start Your Vehicle:
191
NOTICE:
A battery can explode if you do
not follow the correct procedure,
seriously injuring anyonenearby.
Keep all sparks, open flames,
and smoking materials away
from the battery. If a battery sits in extreme
cold, the electrolyte inside can f reeze.
Attempting to jump start with a f rozen
battery can cause it to rupture.
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Start your vehicle. If the starter
motor still operates slowly, check
the jumper cable connections to
make sure they have good metal-
to-metal contact.The pointer of your vehicle’s
temperature gauge should stay in
the midrange. If it climbs to the red
mark, you should determine the
reason (hot day, driving up a steep
hill, etc.).
If your vehicle overheats, you
should take immediate action. The
only indication may be the
temperature gauge climbing to or
above the red mark. Or you may
see steam or spray coming f rom
under the hood.
Once your vehicle is running,
disconnect the negative cable f rom
your vehicle, then f rom the
booster battery. Disconnect the
positive cable f rom your vehicle,
then from the booster battery.
Keep the ends of the jumper cables
away from each other and any metal
on the vehicle until all are
disconnected. Otherwise, you may
cause an electrical short.
7.
6.
T aking Care of t he Unexpect ed
Jump Starting, If the Engine Overheats
If the Engine Overheats
192
NOTICE: Steam and spray from an
overheated engine can
seriously scald you.
Do not open the hood if steam
is coming out.
Driving with the
temperature gauge pointer at the red
mark can cause serious damage to
your engine.
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Saf ely pull of f the road, and shut
of f the engine. Turn on the hazard
warning indicators.
If necessary, add oil to bring the
level back to the full mark on the
dipstick (see page ).Immediately turn of f all electrical
accessories. Try not to use other
electrically operated controls such as
the power windows. Keep the engine
running; starting the engine will
discharge the battery rapidly.
Go to a service station or garage
where you can get technical
assistance.
Let the vehicle sit f or a minute.
Open the hood, and check the oil
level (see page ). An engine
very low on oil can lose pressure
during cornering and other driving
maneuvers.
If the charging system
indicator comes on brightly
when the engine is running, the
battery is not being charged.
This indicator should never
come on when the engine is
running. If it starts f lashing or stays
on, the oil pressure has dropped very
low or lost pressure. Serious engine
damage is possible and you should
take immediate action.
Start the engine, and watch the oil
pressure indicator. If it does not go
out within 10 seconds, turn of f the
engine. There is a mechanical
problem that needs to be repaired
bef ore you can continue driving
(see on page).
1. 2. 3. 4.
117
152
203 Charging System Indicator
L ow Oil Pressure Indicator
Emergency T owing
L ow Oil Pressure Indicator, Charging System Indicator
T aking Care of t he Unexpect ed195
NOTICE:Running the engine with low
oil pressure can cause serious mechani-
cal damage almost immediately. Turn
of f the engine as soon as you can
saf ely get the car stopped.
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If the indicator remains on, or the
f uel cap was not loose or missing,
have your vehicle checked by the
dealer as soon as possible.
Your vehicle has certain ‘‘readiness
codes’’ that are part of the on-board
diagnostics f or the emissions
systems. In some states, part of the
emissions testing is to make sure
these codes are set. If they are not
set, the test cannot be completed.If your vehicle battery has been
disconnected or gone dead, these
codes are erased. It takes at least
three days of driving under various
conditions to set the codes again.
To check if they are set, turn the
ignition to ON (II), without starting
the engine. The Malf unction
Indicator Lamp will come on f or 20
seconds. If it then goes of f , the
readiness codes are set. If it blinks 5
times, the readiness codes are not
set. If possible, do not take your
vehicle f or a state emissions test
until the readiness codes are set.
Refer to State Emissions Testing for
more inf ormation (see page ).
If the indicator comes on
while driving, it means one
of the engine’s emission control
systems may have a problem. Even
though you may f eel no dif f erence in
your vehicle’s perf ormance,
continued operation may cause
serious damage.
If you have recently ref ueled your
vehicle, the indicator coming on
could be a loose or missing f uel f ill
cap. Tighten the cap until it clicks at
least three times. Tightening the cap
will not turn the indicator turn of f
immediately; it takes at least three
days of normal driving. 215
Malf unct ion Indicat or L amp
T aking Care of t he Unexpect ed
Readiness Codes
196
NOTICE:If you keep driving with the
Malf unction Indicator Lamp on, you
can damage your vehicle’s emission
controls and the engine. Those repairs
may not be covered by your vehicle’s
warranties.
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