
This indicator  comes  on when  you
turn  the ignition  switch to the  ON
(II)  position.  If it comes  on at any
other  time, it indicates  that the
passenger’s  side airbag  has
automatically  shut off. For  more
info rmation,  see page  .
This  indicator  normally comes on for
a  few  seconds  when you turn  the
ignition  switch to ON  (II),  and when
the  ignition  switch is turned  to
START  (III). If it comes  on at any
other  time, there  is a problem  with
theABS.Ifthishappens,haveyour
vehicle  checked  at a dealer.  With
this  on, your  vehicle  still has normal
braking  ability but no anti-lock
brakes.  For more  information,  see
page  .
This 
indicator  comes on briefly  when
you  turn  the ignition  switch to the
ON  (II) position.  If it comes  on at
any  other  time, it indicates  a
poten tial problem  with your  front
airbags.  This indica tor will  also  alert
you  to a poten tial problem  with your
side  airbags,  passenger’s  side airbag
automatic  cutoff system,  side curtain
airbags,  automatic  seat belt
tensioners,  driver’s seat position
sensor,  or the  front  passenger’s
weight  sensors.  For more
info rmation,  see page  .
This 
indicator  has  two  functions:
Itcomesonwhenyouturnthe
ignition  switch to the  ON  (II)
position.  It is  a reminder  to check
the  parking  brake. A beeper
sounds  if you  try to drive  with the
parking  brake not fully  released.
Driving  with the parking  brake not
fully  released  can damage  the
brakes  and tires.
If  it remains  lit after  you fully
release  the parking  brake while
the  engine  is running,  or if it
comes  on while  driving,  there
could  be a problem  with the brake
system.  For more  information,  see
page . 30
31
180
1.
2.
253 Anti-lock Brake System
(A BS) Indicator
Supplemental Restraint
System Indicator
Parking Brake and Brake System
Indicator
Side Airbag Of f
Indicator
Instrument Panel Indicators
Inst rument s and Cont rols
59
Canada
U.S.
Canada
U.S.
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Removing parts f rom your vehicle,
or replacing components with
af termarket components could
seriously af f ect your vehicle’s
handling, stability, and reliability.
Some examples are:Lowering the 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.
Raising your vehicle with an
aftermarket suspension kit can
af f ect the handling and stability.
Non-Honda 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.
If you plan to modif y your vehicle,
consult your dealer. Any object
attached to or placed on the covers
marked ‘‘SRS AIRBAG’’ in the
center of the steering wheel and
on top of the dashboard, could
interf ere with the proper operation
of the airbags. Or, if the airbags
inf late, the objects could be
propelled inside the vehicle and
hurt someone. If a side airbag
or a side curtain airbag inf lates, a
cupholderorotherhardobject
attached on or near the door could
be propelled inside the vehicle and
hurt someone.
This could prevent the
airbag from inflating properly.
Modif ying your steering wheel or
any other part of your vehicle’s
safety features can make the
systems inef f ective.
Modif ying Your Vehicle
Additional Saf ety Precautions
Do not at t ach or place object s onthe f ront airbag covers. Do not at t ach hard object s on or
near a f ront door.
Do not place any object s over orreplacetheoutsideedgeof afrontseat-back.
A ccessories and Modif ications
Bef ore Driving
163
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Your vehicle has several convenient
storage areas:Glove box
Door and seat-back pockets
Trunk, including the back seats
when f olded down
Center pocket
Console compartment
Roof -rack (if installed)
However, carrying too much cargo,
or improperly storing it, can af f ect
your vehicle’s handling, stability,
stopping distance, and tires, and
make it unsaf e. Bef ore carrying any
type of cargo, be sure to read the
f ollowing pages.
Carrying Cargo
164
CENTER POCKET
GLOVE BOX
DOOR POCKET
CONSOLE COMPARTMENT
TRUNK SEAT-BACK POCKETS
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Youshoulddothefollowingchecks
and adjustments before you d rive
your vehicle.
Make sure all windows, mirrors,
and outside lights are clean and
unobstructed. Remove frost, snow,
or ice.
Make sure the doors are securely
closed and locked.
Fasten your seat belt. Check that
your passengers have fastened
their seat belts (see page ). Check the steering wheel
adjustment (see page ).
Check that the hood is fully closed.
Check that the trunk is fully
closed.
Visually check the tires. If a tire
looks low, u se a gauge to check its
pressure.
Check that any items you may be
carrying are stored properly or
fastened 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 indicato rs in the
instrument  panel (see pages  to
).
3. 2. 1.
4.
5. 6.
7.
8.
9.
11.
10. 58
16
85 87
90 91 73 66
Preparing to Drive
168
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Without VSA, your vehicle  will have
normal  braking  and cornering  ability,
but  it will  not have  VSA traction  and
stability  enhancement. VSA 
is turned  on every  time you
start  the engine,  even if you  turn ed it
off  the  last  time  you drove  the
vehicle.
Driving  with varying  tire or wheel
sizes  may cause  the VSA  to
malfunction.  When replacing  tires,
make  sure they  are of the  same  size
and  type  as your  original  tires (see
page  ).
Deactivate  the VSA  system  if you
need  to drive  with the compact  spare
tire  installed  (see page  ).
If you install winter tires, make sure
they are the same size as those that
were originally supplied with your
vehicle. Exercise the same caution
during winter driving as you would if
your vehicle was not equipped with
VSA.
When VSA is off, the VSA activation
indicator comes on as a reminder.
If the indicator does not come on
when the ignition switch is turned to
the ON (II) position, there may be a
problem with the VSA system. Have
your dealer inspect your vehicle as
soon as possible.
This switch is under the lef t vent.
Press it to turn the VSA system on
and off. 231
238
VSA Of f Switch
VSA and Tire Sizes
Vehicle Stability Assist (VSA) System
Driving
183
VSA OFF SWITCH
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When preparing  to tow,  and before
driving  away, be sure  to check  the
following:
The  vehicle  has been  properly
serviced,  and the tires,  brakes,
suspension,  cooling system,  and
lights  are in good  operating
condition.
All  items  in or  on  the  trailer  are
properly  secured and cannot  shift
while  you drive.
Thehitch,safetychains,andany
other 
attachments  are secure.
All 
weights  and loads  are within
limits  (see pages  and ). Your 
vehicle  tires and spare  are
properly  inflated (see page  ),
and the trailer tires and spare are
inflated as recommended by the
trailer maker. The added weight, length, and
height of a trailer will af f ect your
vehicle’s handling and perf ormance,
so driving with a trailer requires
some special driving skills and
techniques.
Foryoursafetyandthesafetyof
others,taketimetopracticedriving
maneuvers bef ore heading f or the
open road, and f ollow the guidelines
below.
Drive slower than normal in all
driving situations, and obey posted
speed limits f or vehicles with trailers.
If you have an automatic
transmission, use the D position
when towing a trailer on level roads.
184 186 227
Pre-T ow Checklist
Driving Saf ely With a T railer
Towing a Trailer
T owing Speeds and Gears
188
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Maketurnsmoreslowlyandwider
than normal. The trailer tracks a
smaller arc than your vehicle, and it
canhitorrunoversomethingthe
vehicle misses. Allow more time and
distance f or braking. Do not brake or
turn suddenly as this could cause the
trailer to jackknif e or turn over.
When climbing hills, closely watch
your temperature gauge. If it nears
the red (hot) mark, turn the air
conditioning of f , reduce speed and, if
necessary, pull to the side of the
road to let the engine cool.
D is the proper shif t lever position
to use when towing a trailer in hilly
terrain.When driving down hills, reduce
your speed, and shif t down to second
gear. Do not ‘‘ride’’ the brakes, and
remember, it will take longer to slow
downandstopwhentowingatrailer.
If you must stop when f acing uphill,
use the f oot brake or parking brake.
Do not try to hold the vehicle in
placebypressingontheaccelerator,
as this can cause the automatic
transmission to overheat.
Crosswinds and air turbulence
caused by passing trucks can disrupt
your steering and cause trailer
swaying. When being passed by a
large vehicle, keep a constant speed
and steer straight ahead. Do not try
to make quick steering or braking
corrections.Always drive slowly and have
someone guide you when backing up.
Grip the of the steering wheel,
then turn the wheel to the left to get
the trailer to move to the lef t. Turn
the wheel to the right to move the
trailer to the right.
Follow all normal precautions when
parking, including f irmly setting the
parking brake and putting the
transmission in Park (automatic) or
in 1st or reverse (manual). Also,
place wheel chocks at each of the
trailer’s tires.
3
bottom
Towing a Trailer
Making T urns and Braking
Driving on Hills Handling Crosswinds and Buf f et ingBacking Up
Parking
Driving
189
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This section  explains  why it is
important  to keep  your vehicle  well
maintained  and how  to follow  basic
maintenance  safety precautions.
This  section  also includes
instructions  on how  to read  the
maintenance  messages,  a
maintenance  record, and instructions
for  simple  maintenance  tasks you
may  want  to take  care of yourself.
If  you  have  the skills  and tools  to
perform  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. ......................
Maintenance Saf ety .192
....................
Maintenance Minder . 193
....................
Maintenance Record .200
..............................
Fluid Locations .202
........................
Adding Engine Oil .204
.......
Recommended Engine Oil . 204
..............................
Synthetic Oil .205
................
Engine Oil Additives . 205
.........
Changing the Oil and Filter . 206
....................
Windshield Washers .208
..............................
Engine Coolant .209
............
Adding Engine Coolant . 209
.......................
Transmission Fluid .211
Automatic .........................
Transmission .211
Manual .........................
Transmission .214
................
Brake and Clutch Fluid . 215
................................
Brake Fluid .216
...............................
Clutch Fluid .216
....................
Power Steering Fluid . 216
....................................
Timing Belt .217
.............................................
Lights .218
.......................................
Seat Belts .224
.....................................
Floor Mats .224
.................................
Wiper Blades .225 ...............................................
Tires .227
..................
Inf lation Guidelines . 227
Recommended Tire ...............................
Pressures .228
..........................
Tire Inspection .229
.....................
Tire Maintenance .229
.............................
Tire Rotation .230
.........................
Replacing Tires .231
......................
Wheels and Tires .231
..........................
Winter Driving .232
.............................
Snow Tires .232
............................
Tire Chains .232
...................
Checking the Battery . 234
.............................
Vehicle Storage .235
281
Maintenance
Maint enance
191
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