Page 204 of 296

This section explains why it is
important to keep your vehicle well
maintained and how to f ollow basic
maintenance saf ety precautions.
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.......................
Maintenance Saf ety .202
.................
Maintenance Schedule . 203
....................
Maintenance Record .207
..............................
Fluid Locations .210
........................
Adding Engine Oil .211
.........
Changing the Oil and Filter . 212
..............................
Engine Coolant .214
....................
Windshield Washers .216
....
Automatic Transmission Fluid . 216
....................................
Brake Fluid .218
....................
Power Steering Fluid . 219
....................................
Timing Belt .219
....................................
Hood Latch .220
.............................................
Lights .220
.......................................
Seat Belts .226
.....................................
Floor Mats .226
..............................
Audio Antenna .227
..................
Dust and Pollen Filter . 227
.................................
Wiper Blades .228
...............................................
Tires .230
........................
Check the Battery .235
.............................
Vehicle Storage .236
281
Maintenance
Maint enance201
Page 213 of 296
Fluid Locations
Maint enance210
ENGINE OIL DIPSTICK
(Orange loop)
WASHER FLUID
(Blue cap)
POWER STEERING
FLUID (Red cap)RADIATOR CAP ENGINE OIL FILL CAPAUTOMATIC
TRANSMISSION
FLUID DIPSTICK
(Yellow loop)
BRAKE FLUID
(Gray cap)
ENGINE COOLANT
RESERVOIR
Page 222 of 296

µµ
Pour the f luid slowly and caref ully so
you do not spill. Clean up any spills
immediately; it could damage
components in the engine
compartment. Always use Honda Power Steering
Fluid. You may use another power
steering f luid as an emergency
replacement, but have the power
steering system f lushed and ref illed
with Honda PSF as soon as possible.
A low power steering f luid level can
indicate a leak in the system. Check
the f luid level f requently, and have
the system inspected as soon as
possible.
The timing belt should be replaced
at the intervals shown in the
maintenance schedule.
Replace the belt at 60,000 miles
(100,000 km) if you regularly drive
your vehicle in one or more of these
conditions:
In very high temperatures
(over 110°F, 43°C).
In very low temperatures
(under 20°F, 29°C).
Check the level on the side of the
reservoir when the engine is cold.
The f luid should be between the
UPPER LEVEL and LOWER LEVEL.
If not, add power steering f luid to the
UPPER LEVEL mark.
Power Steering Fluid, Timing Belt
Maint enance
Power Steering Fluid T iming Belt
219
NOTICE:
UPPER LEVEL
LOWER LEVEL
T urning the steering wheel to
f ull lef t or right lock and holding it
there can damage the power steering
pump.
Page 251 of 296

´´
Are you using a properly coded
key? An improperly coded key will
cause the immobilizer system
indicator in the instrument panel
to blink rapidly (see page ).
Do you have f uel? Check the f uel
gauge; the low f uel indicator may
not be working.
There may be an electrical
problem, such as no power to the
f uel pump. Check all the f uses
(see page ).
If youfindnothingwrong,youwill
need a qualif ied technician to f ind
the problem. See on page . Although this seems like a simple
procedure, you should take several
precautions.
You cannot start a Honda by pushing
or pulling it.
Connect one jumper cable to the
positive ( ) terminal on your
Honda’s battery. Connect the
other end to the positive ( )
terminal on the booster battery. Put the transmission in Neutral or
Park, and set the parking brake. Turn of f all the electrical acces-
sories: heater, A/C, climate
control, audio system, lights, etc. 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.
1.
2.
3.
76
257 255Emergency
Towing Jump Starting
If the Engine Won’t Start, Jump Starting
T aking Care of t he Unexpect ed
To Jump Start Your Vehicle:
248
NOTICE:
A battery can explode if you do
not follow the correct procedure,
seriously injuring anyone
nearby.
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.
Page 255 of 296

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. Saf ely pull of f the road, and shut
of f the engine. Turn on the hazard
warning indicators.
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 necessary, add oil to bring the
level back to the full mark on the
dipstick (see page ).
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
). 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 Honda dealer or a service
station where you can get technical
assistance.
If the charging system
indicator comes on brightly
when the engine is running, the
battery is not being charged.
1.
2.
3.
4.
211
171
255
L ow Oil Pressure Indicator, Charging System Indicator
L ow Oil Pressure Indicator
Emergency T owingCharging System Indicator
T aking Care of t he Unexpect ed252
NOTICE:
Running the engine with low
oil pressure can cause serious
mechanical damage almost immediately.
Turn of f the engine as soon as you can
saf ely get the vehicle stopped.
Page 259 of 296
If you decide to tow your vehicle
with all f our wheels on the ground,
make sure you use a properly-
designed and attached tow bar.
Prepare the vehicle for towing as
described above, and leave the
ignition switched in the
ACCESSORY (I) position so the
steering wheel does not lock. Make
sure the radio and any items plugged
into the accessory power socket are
turned of f so they do not run down
the battery.
Emergency T owing
T aking Care of t he Unexpect ed256
NOTICE:
NOTICE: Trying to lif t or tow your
vehicle by the bumpers will cause
serious damage. The bumpers are not
designed to support the vehicle’s weight.
T he steering system can be
damaged if the steering wheel is locked.
Leave the ignition switched to
Accessory (I), and make sure the
steering wheel turns f reely bef ore you
begin towing.
Page 262 of 296

Look f or a burned wire inside the
f use. If it is burned, replace it with
oneof thesparefusesof thesame
rating or lower.If the replacement fuse of the
same rating blows in a short time,
there is probably a serious
electrical problem in your vehicle.
Leave the blown fuse in that
circuit, and have your vehicle
checked by a qualif ied mechanic.
If the driver’s power window f use is
removed, the AUTO feature of the
driver’s window will be disabled. You
should reset the AUTO f eature (see
page ).
If the radio f use is removed, the
audio system will disable itself . The
nexttimeyouturnontheradioyou
will see ‘‘ ’’ in the f requency
display. Use the preset buttons to
enter the f ive-digit code (see page ).
If you cannot drive the vehicle
without f ixing the problem, and you
do not have a spare fuse, take a fuse
of the same rating or a lower rating
f rom one of the other circuits. Make
sureyoucandowithoutthatcircuit
temporarily (such as the accessory
power socket or radio).
If you replace the blown f use with a
spare f use that has a lower rating, it
might blow out again. This does not
indicate anything wrong. Replace the
f use with one of the correct rating as
soon as you can.
5. 6.
101
144
On EX and EX-L models
Fuses
T aking Care of t he Unexpect ed259
NOTICE:
BLOWN
Replacing a f use with one
that has a higher rating greatly
increases the chances of damaging
the electrical system. If you do not
have a replacement f use with the
proper rating f or the circuit, install
one with a lower rating.
Page 263 of 296
Î
Î Î
Î
Î
µ
µµ Î
Î
Î
Circuits Protected
Circuits Protected
No. Amps. No. Amps.
Circuits Protected
Amps.
No.
Back Up, ACC
Power Seat
Heater Motor
Cooling Fan
Spare Fuse
Spare Fuse
Spare Fuse
Battery
Condenser Fan
MG Clutch
Ignition Switch (IG 1 Main)
ABS Motor
Spare Fuse
Spare Fuse
Right Headlight
ACG S
Hazard
Not Used
Stop
Lef t Headlight
ABS F/S
Power Window Motor
Power Sliding Door
Rear Defroster
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12 20 A
30 A
15 A
15 A
15 A
20 A
15 A
20 A
40 A
30 A
30 A 13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
2440 A
40 A
40 A
30 A
7.5 A 10 A
15 A
120 A 30 A
7.5 A 50 A
30 A
Rear Entertaiment System
Not Used
Seat Heaters
Driver’s Power Window
Rear A/C
Power Sliding Door
20 A
20 A
30 A
40 A
20 A
1
27 8
9
10
11 : EX and EX-L models
EX-L models
1:
EX and EX-L models
2:
1
1
2
Fuse Locations
T aking Care of t he Unexpect ed260
PRIMARY UNDER-HOOD FUSE BOX
SECONDARY UNDER-HOOD FUSE BOX