Page 218 of 292

µµ
Pour
the fluid slowly and carefully
so you do not spill any. Clean up
any spill immediately; it could
damage components in the engine
compartment. The
timing belt should be replaced
according to the maintenance
minder (see page ).
Replace the timing belt every 60,000
miles (U.S.) or every 100,000 km
(Canada) if you regularly drive your
vehicle in any of the f ollowing
conditions:
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.
In very high temperatures
(over 110°F, 43°C).
In very low temperatures
(under 20°F, 29°C).
Frequently tow a trailer.193
6-cylinder modelsTiming Belt
Power Steering Fluid, Timing Belt
Maint enance
217
LOWER LEVELUPPER LEVEL
6-cylinder models
Turning the steering wheel to f ull lef t
or right lock and holding it there can
damage the power steering pump.
——
y
y
(yy
Page 226 of 292
Check the condition of the wiper
blades at least every six months.
Look f or signs of cracking in the
rubber, or areas that are getting
hard. Replace the blades if you f ind
these signs, or if they leave streaks
and unwiped areas when used.To replace a wiper blade:Raise the wiper arm of f the
windshield. Raise the driver’s side
first, then the passenger’s side. Disconnect the blade assembly
fromthewiperarmbypushingin
the lock tab. Hold the lock tab in
while you push the blade assembly
toward the base of the arm.
2.
1.
Wiper Blades
Maint enance
225
WIPER ARMS
LOCK TAB
Do not open the hood when the wiper
arms are raised, or you will damage the
hood and wiper arms.
——yy
(yy
Page 235 of 292

µ
Check the condition of the battery
monthlybylookingatthetest
indicator window. The label on the
battery explains the test indicator’s
colors. Check the terminals f or corrosion (a
white or yellowish powder). To
remove it, cover the terminals with a
solution of baking soda and water. It
will bubble up and turn brown. When
this stops, wash it of f with plain
water. Dry off the battery with a
cloth or paper towel. Coat the
terminals with grease to help prevent
f uture corrosion. Battery posts,
terminals, and related accessories
contain lead and lead compounds.
If you need to connect the battery to
a charger, disconnect both cables to
prevent damaging your vehicle’s
electrical system. Always disconnect
the negative ( ) cable first, and
reconnect it last. If additional battery maintenance is
needed, see your dealer or a
qualif ied mechanic.
Checking the Battery
WARNING:
Wash your hands af ter handling.
234
TEST INDICATOR WINDOW
4-cylinder models TEST INDICATOR WINDOW
6-cylinder models
——y
y
(yy
Page 237 of 292

Block the rear wheels.
If the vehicle is to be stored f or a
longer period, it should be
supported on jackstands so the
tires are of f the ground.
Leave one window open slightly (if
the vehicle is being stored
indoors).
Disconnect the battery.Support the f ront wiper blade
arms with a f olded towel or rag so
they do not touch the windshield.
To minimize sticking, apply a
silicone spray lubricant to all door
and trunk seals. Also, apply a
vehiclebodywaxtothepainted
surfaces that mate with the door
and trunk seals.
Cover the vehicle with a
‘‘breathable’’ cover, one made
f rom a porous material such as
cotton. Non-porous materials, such
as plastic sheeting, trap moisture,
which can damage the paint.
If possible, periodically run the
engine until it reaches f ull
operating temperature (the
cooling f an cycles twice).
Pref erably, do this once a month.
Leave the parking brake off. Put
the transmission in Reverse
(manual transmission) or Park
(automatic transmission).
Vehicle Storage
236
——yy
(yy
Page 238 of 292

This section covers the more
common problems that motorists
experience with their vehicles. It
gives you inf ormation about how to
safely evaluate the problem and what
to do to correct it. If the problem has
stranded you on the side of the road,
you may be able to get going again.
If not, you will also f ind instructions
on getting your vehicle towed.......................
Compact Spare Tire .238
....................
Changing a Flat Tire .239
.............
If the Engine Won’t Start . 243
Nothing Happens or the Starter Motor Operates ............................
Very Slowly .243
The Starter Operates ................................
Normally .244
................................
Jump Starting .245
..............
If the Engine Overheats . 248
.........
Low Oil Pressure Indicator . 250
..........
Charging System Indicator . 251
.......
Malf unction Indicator Lamp . 251
.......................
Readiness Codes .252
...............
Brake System Indicator . 253
..................
Closing the Moonroof . 254
......................
Emergency Towing .255
..............................................
Fuses .257
..............................
Fuse Locations .260
Taking Care of the Unexpected
T aking Care of t he Unexpect ed
237
——y
y
(yy
Page 239 of 292

Check the inflation pressure of the
compact spare tire every time you
check the other tires. It should be
inflated to:
Follow these precautions:
Never exceed 50 mph (80 km/h).
This tire gives a harsher ride and
less traction on some road sur-
faces. Use greater caution while
driving. Do
not mount snow chains on the
compact spare tire.
Do not use the compact spare tire
if you are towing a trailer.
Replace the tire when you can see
the tread wear indica tor bars. The
replacement should be the same size
and design tire, mounted on the
same wheel. The spare tire is not
designed to be mounted on a regular
wheel, and the spare wheel is not
designed for mounting a regular tire.
Use
the compact spare tire as a
temporary replacement only. Get
your regular tire repaired or replaced,
and put it back on your vehicle as
soon as you can.
Do not use your compact spare
tire on another vehicle unless it is
thesamemakeandmodel.
Turn of f the VSA system (see
pages and ). Driving with
thecompactsparetiremay
activate the VSA.
On models with manual
transmission, do not drive f or a
long period with the compact
spare tire mounted on a f ront
wheel; it will damage the limited
slip dif f erential.182 183
U.S. LX-V6 and EX-V6
Canadian SE-V6 and EX-V6
Compact Spare Tire
238
INDICATOR LOCATION MARK
TREAD WEAR INDICATOR BAR
60 psi (420 kPa , 4.2 kgf/cm)
——y
y
(y
y
Page 249 of 292

If you see steam and/or spray
coming from under the hood, turn
off the engine. Wait until you see
no more signs of steam or spray,
then open the hood. If
you do not see steam or spray,
leave the engine running, and
watch the temperature gauge. If
the high heat is due to overloading,
the engine should start to cool
down almost immediately. If it
does, wait until the temperatu re
gauge comes down to the midpoint,
then continue driving.
If the temperatu re gauge stays at
the red mark, turn off the engine.
Look for any obvious coolant leaks,
such as a split radiator hose.
Everything is still extremely hot,
so use caution. If you f ind a leak, it
must be repaired bef ore you
continue driving (see on page ).
The pointer of the vehicle’s
temperature gauge should stay in
the midrange. If it climbs to the red
mark, you should determine the
reason (hot day, driving up a steep
hill, etc.).
If your vehicle overheats, you should
take immediate action. The only
indication may be the temperature
gauge climbing to or above the red
mark. Or you may see steam or
spray coming f rom under the hood.
Saf ely pull to the side of the road.
Put the transmission in Neutral or
Park, and set the parking brake.
Turn of f all accessories, and turn
on the hazard warning lights.
1.
2. 3.
4.
5.
255Emergency
Towing
If theEngineOverheats
248
Steam and spray from an
overheated engine can
seriously scald you.
Do not open the hood if steam
is coming out.
Driving with the temperature gauge
pointer at the red mark can cause
serious damage to the engine.
——y
y
(y
y
Page 250 of 292

Using gloves or a large heavy
cloth, turn the radiator cap
counterclockwise, without pushing
down, to the first stop. After the
pressure releases, push down on
the cap, and turn it until it comes
off.
Start the engine and set the
temperature control dial to
maximum (climate control to
FULL AUTO at 90°F/32°C). Add
coolant to the radiator up to the
base of the filler neck. If you do
not have the proper coolant
mixture available, you can add
plain water. Remember to have
the cooling system drained and
refilled with the proper mixture as
soon as you can. Put
the radiator cap back on
tightly. Run the engine, and watch
the temperature gauge. If it goes
back to the red mark, the engine
needs repair (see on page ).
If the temperature stays normal,
check the coolant level in the
radiator reserve tank. If it has
gone down, add coolant to the
MAX mark. Put the cap back on
tightly.
If you do not f ind an obvious leak,
check the coolant level in the
radiator reserve tank. Add coolant
if the level is below the MIN mark.
If there was no coolant in the
reserve tank, you may need to add
coolant to the radiator. Let the
engine cool down until the pointer
reaches the middle of the tempera-
ture gauge, or lower, bef ore check-
ing the radiator.
7. 6.
8.
9. 10.
11.
255
Emergency
Towing
If theEngineOverheats
T aking Care of t he Unexpect ed
249
Removing the radiator cap
while the engine is hot can
cause the coolant to spray out,
seriously scalding you.
Always let the engine and
radiator cool down before
removing the radiator cap.
——yy
(yy