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You can decrease the set cruising
speed in any of these ways:To slow down in very small
amounts, tap the SET/decel
button. Each time you do this,
your vehicle will slow down about
1 mph (1.6 km/h).
Press and hold the SET/decel
button. Release the button when
you reach the desired speed.
Thecruisecontrolmaynotholdthe
set speed when you are going up and
down hills. If your speed increases
going down a hill, use the brakes to
slow down. This will cancel the
cruise control. To resume the set
speed, press the RESUME/accel
button. The CRUISE CONTROL
light on the instrument panel will
come back on. You can increase the set cruising
speed in any of these ways:
Press and hold the RESUME/
accel button. When you reach the
desired cruising speed, release the
button.
Push on the accelerator pedal.
Accelerate to the desired cruising
speed and press the SET/decel
button.
To increase your speed in very
small amounts, tap the RESUME/
accel button. Each time you do
this, your vehicle will speed up
about 1 mph (1.6 km/h). Tap the brake or clutch pedal
lightly with your f oot. The
CRUISE CONTROL indicator on
the instrument panel will go out.
When the vehicle slows to the
desired speed, press the SET/
decel button.
CONT INUED
Cruise Control
Comf ort and Convenience Feat ures
Changing the Set Speed
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Even with the cruise control turned
on, you can still use the accelerator
pedal to speed up f or passing. Af ter
completing the pass, take your foot
of f the accelerator pedal. The vehicle
will return to the set cruising speed.
Resting your f oot on the brake or
clutch pedal will cause the cruise
control to cancel.Pressing the Cruise Control Master
Switch turns the system completely
of f and erases the previous cruising
speed.
Youcancancelthecruisecontrolin
any of these ways:
Tap the brake or clutch pedal.
Push the CANCEL button on the
steering wheel.
Press the Cruise Control Master
Switch. When you push the CANCEL button,
or tap the brake or clutch pedal, the
system remembers the previously-
set cruising speed. To return to that
speed, accelerate to above 25 mph
(40 km/h) then press the RESUME/
accel button. The CRUISE
CONTROL light comes on, and the
vehicle will accelerate to the same
cruising speed as bef ore.
Cruise Control
Comf ort and Convenience Feat ures
Cancelling the Cruise Control
Resuming the Set Speed
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Page 113 of 231

Help assure your vehicle’s f uture
reliability and perf ormance by paying
extra attention to how you drive
during the f irst 600 miles (1,000 km).
During this period:Avoid full-throttle starts and rapid
acceleration.
Avoidhardbrakingforthefirst
200 miles (300 km).
Do not change the oil until the
scheduled maintenance time.
You should also f ollow these re-
commendations with an overhauled
or exchanged engine, or when the
brakes are replaced. Your Honda is designed to operate
on unleaded gasoline with a pump
octane number of 86 or higher. Use
of a lower octane gasoline can cause
a persistent, heavy, metallic rapping
noise in the engine that can lead to
mechanical f ailure.
We recommend using gasoline
containing detergent additives that
help prevent f uel system and engine
deposits.
In addition, in order to maintain good
perf ormance, f uel economy, and
emissions control, we strongly
recommend, in areas where it is
available, the use of gasoline that
does NOT contain manganese-based
f uel additives such as MMT.
Use of gasoline with these additives
may adversely af f ect perf ormance,
and cause the Malfunction Indicator
Lamp on your instrument panel to
come on. If this happens, contactyour authorized Honda dealer f or
service.
Some gasoline today is blended with
oxygenates such as ethanol or
MTBE. Your vehicle is designed to
operate on oxygenated gasoline
containing up to 10 percent ethanol
by volume and up to 15 percent
MTBE by volume. Do not use
gasoline containing methanol.
For f urther important f uel-related
inf ormation, please ref er to your
Quick Start Guide.
Break-in Period, Gasoline T ype
Break-in Period Gasoline Type
Bef ore Driving114
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Page 115 of 231
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.
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. Pull the support rod out of its clip,
and insert the end into the hole on
the f ront lef t side of the hood.
1. 2.3.To Open the Hood:
Service Station Procedure
Opening and Closing the Hood
Bef ore Driving116
HOOD
RELEASE
HANDLE
LATCH
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Page 119 of 231

Your dealer has Honda accessories
that allow you to personalize your
vehicle. These accessories have
been designed and approved f or your
vehicle, and are covered by warranty.When properly installed, cellular
phones, alarms, two-way radios, and
low-powered audio systems should
not interf ere with your vehicle’s
computer controlled systems, such
as the SRS and anti-lock brake
system.Bef ore installing any accessory:
Modif ying your vehicle, or installing
some non-Honda accessories, can
make your vehicle unsaf e. Bef ore
you make any modif ications or add
anyaccessories,besuretoreadthe
f ollowing inf ormation. Make sure the accessory does not
obscure any lights, or interf ere
with proper vehicle operation or
perf ormance.
Be sure electronic accessories do
not overload electrical circuits
(see page ) or interf ere with
proper operation.
Have the installer contact your
Honda dealer f or assistance bef ore
installing any electronic accessory.
Although aftermarket accessories
may f it on your vehicle, they may not
meet f actory specif ications, and
could adversely af f ect your vehicle’s
handling and stability (see
‘‘Modif ications’’ on page f or
additional information). 121 199
A ccessories
Bef ore Driving
A ccessories and Modif ications
120
Improper accessories or
modifications can affect your
vehicle’s handling, stability, and
performance, and cause a
crash in which you can be hurt
or killed.
Follow all instructions in this
owner’s manual regarding
accessories and modifications.
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Some examples are:Raising your vehicle with an
af termarket suspension kit can
af f ect the handling and stability.
Af termarket wheels, because they
are a universal design, can cause
excessive stress on suspension
components. Larger or smaller wheels and tires
can interf ere with the operation of
your vehicle’s anti-lock brakes and
other systems.
Removing parts f rom your vehicle,
or replacing components with non-
Honda (af termarket) components
could seriously af f ect your vehicle’s
handling, stability, and reliability.
Lowering your vehicle with an
aftermarket suspension kit that
signif icantly reduces ground
clearance can allow the
undercarriage to hit speed bumps
or other raised objects, which
could cause the airbags to deploy. Do not modif y your steering wheel
or any other part of your
Supplemental Restraint System.
Modif ications could make the
system inef f ective. See the saf ety
precautions on page .
If you plan to modif y your vehicle,
consult with your Honda dealer.
Improperly replacing
or covering f ront seat-back covers
can prevent your side airbags f rom
inf lating during a collision. 28
Modif ying Your Vehicle
Additional Saf ety Precaution
Bef ore Driving
A ccessories and Modif ications
Do not cover or replace f ront seat -back covers wit hout consult ing aHonda dealer.
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Page 124 of 231
This section gives you tips on
starting the engine under various
conditions, and how to operate the
5-speed manual and automatic
transmissions. It also includes impor-
tant inf ormation on parking your
vehicle, and the braking system.........................
Preparing to Drive . 126
.......................
Starting the Engine . 127
....
5-speed Manual Transmission . 128
..............
Automatic Transmission . 130
.
Automatic Transmission (CVT) . 134
...........................................
Parking . 137
.............................
Braking System . 138
...........................
Towing a Trailer . 138
...............
Anti-lock Brakes (ABS) . 139
Driving
Driving125
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If the engine does not start within
15 seconds, or starts but stalls
right away, repeat step 4 with the
accelerator pedal pressed halfway
down. If the engine starts, release
pressure on the accelerator pedal
so the engine does not race.
If the engine fails to start, press
the accelerator pedal all the way
downandholdittherewhile
starting to clear flooding. If the
engine still does not start, return
to step 5.
Apply the parking brake.
In cold weather, turn of f all
electrical accessories to reduce
the drain on the battery.
Make sure the shif t lever is in
Park. Press on the brake pedal.
Push the clutch pedal down all the
way.
Without touching the accelerator
pedal, turn the ignition key to the
START (III) position. Do not hold
the key in START for more than
15 seconds at a time. If the engine
does not start right away, pause
f or at least 10 seconds bef ore
trying again. 5. 6.
1. 2. 3. 4.
Manual Transmission:
Automatic Transmission:
Starting the Engine
Driving127
NOTICE: The engine is harder to start
in cold weather. Also, the thinner air
f ound at altitudes above 8,000 f eet
(2,400 meters) adds to this problem.
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