Page 217 of 267

Fill the f uel tank.
Change the engine oil and f ilter.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.
Wash and dry the exterior
completely.
Cleantheinterior.Makesurethe
carpeting, floor mats, etc., are
completely dry.
If you need to park your vehicle f or
an extended period (more than 1
month), there are several things you
should do to prepare it f or storage.
Proper preparation helps prevent
deterioration and makes it easier to
get your vehicle back on the road. If
possible, store your vehicle indoors. Leave one window open slightly (if
the vehicle is being stored
indoors).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.
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. Support the f ront wiper blade
arms with a f olded towel or rag so
they do not touch the windshield. Disconnect the battery. 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) or Park (automatic).
Vehicle Storage
216
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Page 218 of 267

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 .218
....................
Changing a Flat Tire .219
.............
If the Engine Won’t Start .223
................................
Jump Starting .225
..............
If the Engine Overheats .226
.........
Low Oil Pressure Indicator .229
..........
Charging System Indicator .229
.......
Malf unction Indicator Lamp .230
...............
Brake System Indicator .231
..............................................
Fuses .232
..............................
Fuse Locations .235
......................
Emergency Towing .237
Taking Care of the Unexpected
T aking Care of t he Unexpect ed
217
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Page 219 of 267
Check the inf lation pressure of the
compact spare tire every time you
check the other tires. It should be
inf lated to:Follow these precautions:
Never exceed 50 mph (80 km/h).
This tire gives a harsher ride and
less traction on some road sur-
f aces. Use greater caution while
driving.
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.
Replace the tire when you can see
the tread wear indicator 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 f or mounting a regular tire.
Do not use your compact spare
tire on another vehicle unless it is
thesamemakeandmodel. Do not mount tire chains on the
compact spare tire.
Compact Spare Tire
218
INDICATOR LOCATION MARK
TREAD WEAR INDICATOR BAR
60 psi (420 kPa , 4.2 kgf/cm)
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Page 220 of 267

If you have a f lat tire while driving,
stop in a saf e place to change it.
Drive slowly along the shoulder until
you get to an exit or an area to stop
that is far away from the traffic lanes.Turn on the hazard warning lights,
and turn the ignition switch to the
LOCK (0) position. Have all
passengers get out of the vehicle
while you change the tire. Park the vehicle on f irm, level, and
non-slippery ground. Put the
transmission in Park (automatic)
or reverse (manual). Apply the
parking brake.Open the trunk. Raise the trunk
f loor by lif ting up on the back edge.
Take the tool case out of the spare
tire.
Unscrew the wing bolt, and take
the spare tire out of its well.
5. 4.
3.
2. 1.
CONT INUED
Changing a Flat Tire
T aking Care of t he Unexpect ed
219
SPARE TIRE
TRUNK FLOOR JACK
TOOL CASE
The vehicle can easily roll off
the jack, seriously injuring
anyone underneath.
Follow the directions for
changing a tire exactly, and
never get under the vehicle
when it is supported only by the
jack.
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Page 221 of 267
Loosen each wheel nut 1/2 turn
with the wheel nut wrench.Place the jack under the jacking
point. Turn the end bracket
clockwise until the top of the jack
contacts the jacking point. Make
sure the jacking point tab is
restinginthejacknotch.Use the extension and the wheel
nut wrench as shown to raise the
vehicle until the f lat tire is of f the
ground.
Remove the wheel nuts, then
remove the f lat tire. Handle the
wheel nuts caref ully; they may be
hot from driving. Place the flat tire
on the ground with the outside
surface facing up.
6. 7. 8.
9.
Changing a Flat Tire
220
JACKING POINTS
WHEEL NUT WRENCH EXTENSION
WHEEL NUT WRENCH
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Page 222 of 267
Bef ore mounting the spare tire,
wipeanydirtoff themounting
surface of the wheel and hub with
a clean cloth. Wipe the hub
carefully;itmaybehotfrom
driving.Put on the spare tire. Put the
wheel nuts back on f inger-tight,
then tighten them in a crisscross
pattern with the wheel nut wrench
until the wheel is f irmly against
the hub. Do not try to tighten
them f ully.
Lower the vehicle to the ground,
and remove the jack.
Do not attempt to forcibly pry the
wheel cover of f with a screwdriver or
other tool. The wheel cover cannot
be removed without f irst removing
the wheel nuts. 10. 11.
12.
CONT INUED
DX, LX, and Canadian DX-G models:
Changing a Flat Tire
T aking Care of t he Unexpect ed
221
WHEEL
NUTS
WHEEL NUTS WHEEL COVER BRAKE HUB
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Page 223 of 267
Tighten the wheel nuts securely in
the same crisscross pattern. Have
the wheel nut torque checked at
the nearest automotive service
f acility.
Tighten the wheel nuts to:Place the flat tire face down in the
spare tire well.
Remove the spacer cone f rom the
wing bolt, turn it over, and put it
back on the bolt.
Securetheflattirebyscrewing
the wing bolt back into its hole.
Remove the center cap before
storing the f lat tire in the trunk
well. Store the jack and tools in the tool
case. Place the tool case in the
center of the f lat tire.
Store the wheel cover or center
cap in the trunk. Make sure it does
not get scratched or damaged.
Lower the trunk f loor, and close
the trunk lid.
13.
14. 15.
16.
17.18.
19.
20.
EX model:
Changing a Flat Tire
222
WING BOLT
SPACER
CONE
80 lbf·ft (108 N·m , 11 kgf·m) Loose items can fly around the
interiorinacrashandcould
seriously injure the occupants.
Store the wheel, jack, and tools
securely before driving.
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Page 224 of 267

Diagnosing why the engine won’t
start f alls into two areas, depending
on what you hear when you turn the
ignition switch to the START (III)
position:When you turn the ignition switch to
the START (III) position, you do not
hear the normal noise of the engine
trying to start. You may hear a
clicking sound or series of clicks, or
nothing at all. Turn the ignition switch to the
START (III) position. If the
headlights do not dim, check the
condition of the f uses. If the f uses
areOK,thereisprobably
something wrong with the
electrical circuit f or the ignition
switch or starter motor. You will
need a qualif ied technician to
determine the problem (see
on page ).
If the headlights dim noticeably or
go out when you try to start the
engine, either the battery is dis-
charged or the connections are
corroded. Check the condition of
the battery and terminal connec-
tions (see page ). You can
then try jump starting the vehicle
f rom a booster battery (see page ).
You can hear the starter motor
operating normally, or the starter
motor sounds like it is spinning
f aster than normal, but the engine
does not start up and run. You hear nothing, or almost
nothing. The engine’s starter
motor does not operate at all, or
operates very slowly.
Turn the ignition switch to the ON
(II) position. Turn on the
headlights, and check their
brightness. If the headlights are
very dim or do not come on at all,
the battery is discharged. Seeon page .
Check the transmission interlock.
If you have a manual transmission,
the clutch pedal must be pushed
all the way to the f loor or the
starter will not operate. With an
automatic transmission, it must be
in Park or neutral.
Check these things:
215
225 237
225
Nothing Happens or the Starter
Motor Operates Very Slowly
Emergency T owing
Jump Starting
If theEngineWon’tStart
T aking Care of t he Unexpect ed
223
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