2006 RSX Online Reference Owner's Manual
Use these links (and links throughout this manual) to navigate through this reference.
For a printed owner's manual, click on authorized manuals or go to www.helminc.com.
Contents
Owner's Identification Form
Introduction ........................................................................\
............................................................................. i
A Few Wo r
ds About Safety ........................................................................\
.................................................. ii
Your Vehicle at a Glance........................................................................\
.......................................................4
Driver and Pas
senger Safety ........................................................................\
...............................................7
P r
oper use and care of your vehicle's seat belts, and Supplemental Restraint System.
Instruments and Cont r
ols........................................................................\
...................................................49
Instrument panel indica tor and gauge, and how to use dashboard and steering column controls.
Comfort and Convenience Features........................................................................\
............................... 87
How t o
op era
te the climate control system, the audio system, and other convenience features.
Before Driving ........................................................................\
...................................................... .
............. .
131
What gasoline to use, how to break-in your new vehicle, and how to load luggage and other cargo.
Driving........................................................................\
...................................................................................145
The proper way to start
the engine, shift the transmission, and park, plus towing a trailer.
Maintenance........................................................................\
.........................................................................165
T h
e Ma int
enance Schedule shows you when you need to take your vehicle to the dealer.
Taking Care of the Unexpected........................................................................\
.......................................203
This section covers severa l pr
oblems motorists someti mes experience, and how to handle them.
Technical Information........................................................................\
.......................................................227
ID numbers, dimensions, capaciti es, and techni
cal information.
Warranty and Customer Relations (U.S. and Canada)..................................................................... 239
A summary of th
e warr anties coverin
g your new Honda, and how to contact us.
Authorized Manuals (U.S. only)........................................................................\
.......................................243
How t o
order manuals an
d other technical literature.
Index ........................................................................\
......................................................................................... I
Service Inf ormat
ion Summary
A summary of informat
ion you need when you pull up to the fuel pump.
The most important things you need
to know about your airbags are:They are designed to supplement
the seat belts.
To do
their job, airbags must inf late with
tremendous f orce. So while
airbags help save lives, they can
cause minor injuries or more
serious or even fatal injuries if
occupants are not properly
restrained or sitting properly. Always wear
your seat belt properly, and sit
upright and as f ar back f rom the
steering wheel as possible while
allowing f ull control of the vehicle. A
f ront passenger should move their
seat as far back from the dashboard
as possible. The rest of this section gives more
detailed inf ormation about how you
can maximize your saf ety.
Remember, however, that no saf ety
system can prevent all injuries or
deaths that can occur in a severe
crash, even when seat belts are
properly worn and the airbags deploy.
Your Vehicle’s Saf ety Features
Airbags do not replace seat belts.
A irbags of f er no prot ect ion in rearimpact s, or minor f ront al or sidecollisions.
A irbags can pose hazards. What you should do:
12
µAfter everyone has entered the
vehicle, be sure the doors are closed
and locked.
Adjust the driver’s seat as far to the
rear as possible while allowing you to
maintain f ull control of the vehicle.
Have a front passenger adjust their
seat as far to the rear as possible.
If you sit too close to the steering
wheel or dashboard, you can be
seriously injured by an inf lating f ront
airbag, or by striking the steering
wheel or dashboard.
See pages f or important
guidelines on how to properly
protect inf ants, small children, and
larger children who ride in your
vehicle. The f ollowing pages provide
instructions on how to properly
protect the driver, adult passengers
and teenage children who are large
enough and mature enough to drive
or ride in the f ront seat.
Your vehicle has a door
monitor indicator on the
instrument panel to indicate when
either door or the hatch is not tightly
closed.
Locking the doors reduces the
chance of someone being thrown out
of the vehicle during a crash, and it
helps prevent passengers f rom
accidentally opening a door and
f alling out.
Locking the doors also helps prevent
an outsider f rom unexpectedly
opening a door when you come to a
stop.
See page f or how to lock the
doors, and page f or how the door
monitor indicator works.
44
54
28
67
CONT INUED
Introduction Close and L ock the DoorsA djust the Front Seats
1. 2.
Protecting A dults and Teens
Driver and Passenger Saf ety
13
Your airbag system includes:Two side airbags, one f or the
driver and one f or a f ront
passenger. The airbags are stored
in the outer edges of the seat-
backs. Both are marked ‘‘SIDE
AIRBAG’’ (see page ).
Sensors that can detect a
moderate to severe frontal or side
impact. Automatic front seat belt
tensioners (see page ). Emergency backup power in case
your vehicle’s electrical system is
disconnected in a crash.
Sensors that can detect whether a
child is in the passenger’s side
airbag path and signal the control
unit to turn the airbag of f (see
page ).
A sophisticated electronic system
that continually monitors and
records inf ormation about the
sensors, the control unit, the
airbag activators, the seat belt
tensioners, and driver and f ront
passenger seat belt use when the
ignition switch is in the ON (II)
position.
An indicator on the instrument
panel that alerts you to a possible
problem with your airbags,
sensors, or seat belt tensioners
(see page ).
An indicator on the instrument
panel that alerts you that the
passenger’s side airbag has been
turned of f (see page ).
Two SRS (supplemental restraint
system) f ront airbags. The driver’s
airbag is stored in the center of
the steering wheel; the f ront
passenger’sairbagisstoredinthe
dashboard. Both are marked ‘‘SRS
AIRBAG’’ (see page ).
23
20
25
27
26
25
A irbag System Components
Additional Inf ormation About Your Airbags
22
µ
Your vehicle has a back seat where
children can be properly restrained.
If you ever have to carry a group of
children, and a child must ride in
front:Place the largest child in the f ront
seat, provided the child is large
enough to wear the lap/shoulder
belt properly (see page ).
Move the vehicle seat as far to the
rear as possible (see page ).
Have the child sit upright and well
backintheseat(seepage ).
Make sure the seat belt is properly
positioned and secured (see page ).
To remind you of the passenger’s
f ront airbag hazards, and that
children must be properly restrained
in a back seat, your vehicle has
warninglabelsonthedashboardand
on the f ront visors (U.S. models).
Please read and follow the
instructions on these labels.
41
16
15 71
Canadian Models
U.S. ModelsIf You Must Drive with Several
Children
Protecting Children General Guidelines
30
µ
Many parents say they pref er to put
an inf ant or small child in the f ront
passenger seat so they can watch the
child, or because the child requires
attention.
Placing a child in the f ront seat
exposes the child to hazards in a
f rontal collision, and paying close
attention to a child distracts the
driver from the important tasks of
driving, placing both of you at risk.
If a child requires physical attention
or f requent visual contact, we
strongly recommend that another
adult ride with the child in the back
seat. The back seat is far safer for a
child than the front.If they do, they
could be very seriously injured in a
crash. If you are not wearing a
seat belt in a crash, you could be
thrown forward and crush the
child against the dashboard or a
seat-back. If you are wearing a
seat belt, the child can be torn
from your arms and be seriously
hurt or killed.
Leaving children without
adult supervision is illegal in most
states and Canadian provinces,
and can be very hazardous. For example, infants and small
childrenleftinavehicleonahot
day can die f rom heatstroke. A
child lef t alone with the key in the
ignition can accidentally set the
vehicle in motion, possibly injuring
themselves or others.
Children who play in vehicles can
accidentally get trapped inside.
Teach your children not to play in
or around vehicles.
Even very young
children learn how to unlock
vehicle doors, turn on the ignition
switch, and open the hatch, which
can lead to accidental injury or
death.
During a crash, the
belt could press deep into the child
and cause serious or fatal injuries.
If a Child Requires Close
Attention
Additional Saf ety Precautions
Never let two children use the
same seat belt .
Neverholdaninfantorchildon
your lap.
Do not leave children alone in avehicle. Lock both doors and the hatch
when your vehicle is not in use.
K eep vehicle keys and remot etransmitters out of reach ofchildren.
Never put a seat belt over yourself
and a child.
Protecting Children General Guidelines
Driver and Passenger Saf ety
31
These labels are in the locations
shown. They warn you of potential
hazards that could cause serious
injury or death.
If a label comes of f or becomes hard
to read (except for the U.S.
dashboard label, which is removed
by the owner), contact your dealer
f or a replacement.U.S. models only
Saf ety L abels
46
RADIATOR CAPDASHBOARD
HOOD
Usetheswitchonthedashboardto
open and close the moonroof . The
ignition switch must be in the ON
(II) position. Push and hold theswitch to open the moonroof .
Release the switch when the
moonroof reaches the desired
position. To close the moonroof ,
press and hold the switch. Keeptheinsideandoutsidemirrors
clean and adjusted f or best visibility.
Be sure to adjust the mirrors bef ore
you start driving.
The inside mirror has day and night
positions. The night position reduces
glare f rom headlights behind you.
Flip the tab on the bottom edge of
the mirror to select the day or night
position.
CONT INUED
U.S.: All models
Canada: Premium and Type-S models only
Moonroof Mirrors
Moonroof , Mirrors
Inst rument s and Cont rols
79
TAB
Closing the moonroof on
someone’s hands or fingers can
cause serious injury.
Make sure passengers are
clear of the moonroof before
closing it.
If you try to open the moonroof in
below-f reezing temperatures, or when
it is covered with snow or ice, you can
damage the moonroof panel or motor.