Page 166 of 302
Wait a f ew minutes af ter turning the
engine of f bef ore you check the oil.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 .
Remove the dipstick (orange
handle).
1. 2.
3.4.
212
Oil Check
A dding Oil
Service Station Procedure
Bef ore Driving
165
4-cylinder models6-cylinder models 4-cylinder modelsUPPER MARK
LOWER MARK
DIPSTICK
(orange handle) DIPSTICK
(orange loop)
Page 167 of 302
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
about checking other items on your
vehicle.
217 201
Engine Coolant Check
A dding
Engine Coolant Owner’s Maintenance
Checks
Service Station Procedure
166
UPPER MARK
LOWER MARK RESERVE TANK
4-cylinder models MIN MAX MAX
RESERVE TANK
6-cylinder models MIN
6-cylinder models
Page 168 of 302
Always drive in the highest gear
possible.
Try to maintain a constant speed.
Everytimeyouslowdownand
speed up, your vehicle uses extra
fuel. Use the cruise control when
appropriate.
Combine several short trips into
one.
The air conditioning puts an extra
load on the engine which makes it
usemorefuel.Usethefresh-air
ventilation when possible.
Always maintain your vehicle
according to the maintenance
schedule. See
(see page
).
Drive moderately. Rapid
acceleration, abrupt cornering and
hard braking use more f uel. The build-up of snow or mud on
your vehicle’s underside adds
weight and rolling resistance.
Frequent cleaning helps your f uel
mileage and reduces the chance of
corrosion. an underinf lated tire
causes more ‘‘rolling resistance,’’
which uses f uel. 201
For example,
Improving Fuel Economy
Owner’s
Maintenance Checks
Fuel Economy
Bef ore Driving
167
Page 175 of 302
Youshoulddothefollowingchecks
and adjustments bef ore you drive
your vehicle.Make sure all windows, mirrors,
and outside lights are clean and
unobstructed. Remove f rost, snow,
or ice.
Make sure the doors are securely
closed and locked.
Fasten your seat belt. Check that
your passengers have f astened
their seat belts (see page ). Check the steering wheel
adjustment (see page ).
Check that the hood is f ully closed.
Check that the trunk is f ully
closed.
Visually check the tires. If a tire
looks low, use a gauge to check its
pressure.
Check that any items you may be
carrying are stored properly or
f astened down securely. Check the seat adjustment (see
pages to ).
Check the adjustment of the
inside and outside mirrors (see
pages and ).
When you start the engine, check
the gauges and indicators in the
instrument panel (see pages to
).
3. 2. 1.
4.
5. 6.
7.
8.
9.
11.
10. 88
94 58
67
90
95
16
74
Preparing to Drive
174
Page 183 of 302
Push down on the key while you
pressthereleasebuttononthe
shif t lever and move the shif t lever
out of Park to Neutral.
Remove the key from the Shift
Lock Release slot, then reinstall
thecover.Makesurethenotchon
the cover is on the lef t side.
Depress the brake pedal and
restart the engine.If you need to use the Shif t Lock
Release, it means your vehicle is
developing a problem. Have the
vehicle checked by your dealer.
5.
6.
Automatic Transmission
182
RELEASE
BUTTON
SHIFT LOCK RELEASE SLOT
Page 185 of 302

Your vehicle is equipped with disc
brakes. The brakes on the rear
wheels may be disc or drum,
depending on the model. A power
assist helps reduce the ef f ort needed
on the brake pedal. The ABS helps
you retain steering control when
braking very hard.Check the brakes after driving
through deep water. Apply the
brakes moderately to see if they f eel
normal. If not, apply them gently and
f requently until they do. Be extra
cautious in your driving.
Constant application of the brakes
when going down a long hill builds
up heat and reduces their ef f ective-
ness. Use the engine to assist the
brakes by taking your f oot of f the
accelerator and downshif ting to a
lower gear. Put your f oot on the brake pedal only
when you intend to brake. Resting
your f oot on the pedal keeps the
brakes applied lightly, builds up heat,
increases wear and reduces their
ef f ectiveness. It also keeps your
brake lights on all the time,
conf using drivers behind you. If the brake pads need replacing, you
will hear a distinctive, metallic
screeching sound when you apply
the brake pedal. If you do not have
the brake pads replaced, they will
screech all the time. It is normal f or
the brakes to occasionally squeal or
squeak when you apply them. The f ront disc brakes have audible
brake wear indicators. They are also
in the rear disc brakes of the EX,
EX-V6, and LX-V6 models. The hydraulic system that operates
the brakes has two separate circuits.
Each circuit works diagonally across
the vehicle (the lef t-f ront brake is
connected with the right-rear brake,
etc.). If one circuit should develop a
problem, you will still have braking
at two wheels.
Braking System
Brake Wear Indicators Braking System Design
184
Page 191 of 302

Your vehicle has been designed to
primarily carry passengers and their
cargo. You can also use it to tow a
trailer if you caref ully observe the
load limits, use the proper equipment,
and f ollow the guidelines in this
section.The
maximum allowable weight of the
trailerandeverthinginoronit
must not exceed 1,000 lbs (450 kg).
Towing a load that is too heavy
can seriously af f ect your vehicle’s
handling and perf ormance. It can
also damage the engine and
drivetrain. The weight that
the tongue of a f ully-loaded trailer
puts on the hitch should be
approximately 10 percent of the
total trailer weight. Too much
tongue load reduces f ront-tire
traction and steering control. Too
little tongue load can make the
trailer unstable and cause it to
sway.
Towing a Trailer
Load Limits
T otal T railer Weight: T ongue L oad:
190
Exceeding any load limit or
improperly loading your vehicle
and trailer can cause a crash in
which you can be seriously hurt
or killed.
Check the loading of your
vehicle and trailer carefully
beforestartingtodrive.
Page 198 of 302

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 vehicle, you may want
to purchase the Service Manual. See
page f or inf ormation on how to
obtain a copy, or see your 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 .198
.................
Maintenance Schedule . 199
............
Servicing Your Vehicle . 200
Owner’s Maintenance ...................................
Checks .201
.....................
4-cylinder Models .202
.....................
6-cylinder Models .204
....................
Maintenance Record .206
..............................
Fluid Locations .210
........................
Adding Engine Oil .212
.......
Recommended Engine Oil . 212
..............................
Synthetic Oil .213
................
Engine Oil Additives . 213
.........
Changing the Oil and Filter . 214
....................
Windshield Washers .216
..............................
Engine Coolant .217
............
Adding Engine Coolant . 217
.......................
Transmission Fluid .219
Automatic .........................
Transmission .219
Manual .........................
Transmission .222
................
Brake and Clutch Fluid . 223
................................
Brake Fluid .223
...............................
Clutch Fluid .224
....................
Power Steering Fluid . 224....................................
Timing Belt .225
....................................
Hood Latch .225
.............................................
Lights .226
.......................................
Seat Belts .233
.....................................
Floor Mats .233
..................
Dust and Pollen Filter . 233
.................................
Wiper Blades .234
...............................................
Tires .236
......................................
Inf lation .236
..........................
Tire Inspection .238
.....................
Tire Maintenance .238
.............................
Tire Rotation .239
.........................
Replacing Tires .239
......................
Wheels and Tires .240
..........................
Winter Driving .240
.............................
Snow Tires .240
............................
Tire Chains .241
...................
Checking the Battery . 242
.............................
Vehicle Storage .243
291
Maintenance
Maint enance
197