Page 104 of 316

There is a 115 volt AC power outlet
in the rear compartment on the
driver’s side. To use the AC power
outlet, open the rear compartment
lid and open the outlet cover. Insert
the plug into the receptacle slightly,
turn it 90° clockwise, then push in
the plug all the way.
Always run the engine when you use
the AC Power Outlet.The maximum capacity f or this
power outlet is 115 volt AC at 100
watts or less. If you use an appliance
which requires more than 100 watts,
it automatically stops supplying the
power. If this happens, turn the
ignition switch of f and turn it on
again.
The AC power outlet is not
designed f or electric appliances
which require high initial peak
wattage such as cathode-ray tube
type televisions, ref rigerators,
electric pumps, etc. It is also not
suitable f or devices that process
precise data such as medical
equipment or measuring instruments.
Any appliances that require an
extremely stable power supply such
as microcomputer-controlled electric
blankets, touch sensor lamps, etc.,
should not be connected to this
outlet. ON
All the individual map lights come
on.
None of the lights come on when a
door or the tailgate is opened.
The individual map lights in the
frontcanbeturnedonandoff with
the switches next to the lights.
When this switch is in the position:
When the switch is in the OFF position:
If equipped
Interior Convenience Items, Interior L ights
AC Power Outlet
Light Control Switch
102
NOTE:
DOOR
ACTIVATED
POSITIONOFF
ON
Page 111 of 316

The heater uses engine coolant to
warm the air. If the engine is cold, it
will be several minutes bef ore you
f eel warm air coming f rom the
system.
The f low-through ventilation system
draws in outside air, circulates it
through the interior, then exhausts it
through vents near the rear side
panels.
Set the temperature to the lower
limit.
Make sure the A/C is of f .
Select and fresh air mode.
Set the f an to the desired speed. Select and fresh air mode.
Set the f an to the desired speed.
Adjust the warmth of the air with
the temperature control dial.Air conditioning places an extra load
on the engine. Watch the engine
coolant temperature gauge (see page
). If it moves near the red zone,
turn of f the A/C until the gauge
reading returns to normal.
Turn on the A/C by pressing the
button. The indicator in the button
comesonwhenafanspeedis
selected (LX model), or the
display shows A/C ON (EX and
EX-L models).
Make sure the temperature is set
to maximum cool.
Select .
If the outside air is humid, select
recirculation mode. If the outside
air is dry, select f resh air mode.
Set the f an to the desired speed.
1.
2.
3.
4.
1.
2.
3.
4.
1.
2.
3.
5.71
Using the Heater
Ventilation Using the A /C
Vents, Heating, and A/C
Features
109
Page 187 of 316
Bef ore you begin driving your
vehicle, you should know what
gasoline to use and how to check the
levels of important f luids. You also
need to know how to properly store
luggage or packages. The
inf ormation in this section will help
you. If you plan to add any
accessories to your vehicle, please
read the information in this section
first..............................
Break-in Period .186
.................
Fuel Recommendation . 186
.........
Service Station Procedures . 187
....................................
Ref ueling .187
Opening and Closing the .......................................
Hood .188
...................................
Oil Check .189
.............
Engine Coolant Check . 189
...............................
Fuel Economy .190
...
Accessories and Modif ications . 191
.............................
Carrying Cargo .193
Bef ore Driving
Bef ore Driving
185
Page 188 of 316

Help assure your vehicle’s f uture
reliability and perf ormance by paying
extra attention to how you drive
during the f irst 600 miles (1,000 km).
During this period:Avoid full-throttle starts and rapid
acceleration.
Do not change the oil until the
scheduled maintenance time.
Avoidhardbrakingforthefirst
200 miles (300 km).
Do not tow a trailer.
You should also f ollow these
recommendations with an
overhauled or exchanged engine, or
when the brakes are replaced. In addition, in order to maintain good
perf ormance, f uel economy, and
emissions control, we strongly
recommend, in areas where it is
available, the use of gasoline that
does NOT contain manganese-based
f uel additives such as MMT. Your vehicle is designed to operate
on unleaded gasoline with a pump
octane number of 87 or higher. Use
of a lower octane gasoline can cause
a persistent, heavy metallic rapping
noise that can lead to engine damage.
We recommend using quality
gasolines containing detergent
additives that help prevent fuel
system and engine deposits.
Use of gasoline with these additives
may adversely af f ect perf ormance,
and cause the malfunction indicator
lamp on your instrument panel to
come on. If this happens, contact
your dealer f or service.Some gasoline today is blended with
oxygenates such as ethanol or
MTBE. Your vehicle is designed to
operate on oxygenated gasoline
containing up to 10 percent ethanol
by volume and up to 15 percent
MTBE by volume. Do not use
gasoline containing methanol.
If you notice any undesirable
operating symptoms, try another
service station or switch to another
brand of gasoline.
Premium f uel is recommended when
towing in certain conditions (see
page ).
For f urther important f uel-related
inf ormation, please ref er to your
.
220
Break-in Period, Fuel Recommendation
Break-in Period
Fuel Recommendation
Quick Start Guide
186
Page 189 of 316

Park with the driver’s side closest
to the gas pump.
Open the f uel f ill door by pulling
onthehandletotheleftof the
driver’s seat.Stop f illing the tank af ter the f uel
nozzle automatically clicks of f . Do
not try to ‘‘top off’’ the tank. Leave
some room f or the f uel to expand
with temperature changes.
even though the tank is not f ull,
there may be a problem with your
vehicle’s fuel vapor recovery
system. The system helps keep
f uel vapors f rom going into the
atmosphere. Consult your dealer.
Remove the f uel f ill cap slowly.
You may hear a hissing sound as
pressure inside the tank escapes.
Put the attachment into the slit. Screw the f uel f ill cap back on
until it clicks at least once. If you
do not properly tighten the cap,
the malf unction indicator lamp
maycomeon(seepage ).You
will also see a ‘‘CHECK FUEL
CAP’’ message on the inf ormation
display.
Push the f uel f ill door closed until
it latches.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.277
If the f uel nozzle keeps clicking of f
Service Station Procedures
Ref ueling
Bef ore Driving
187
Pull
FUEL FILL CAP
SLIT
ATTACHMENT
Gasoline is highly flammable
and explosive. You can be
burned or seriously injured
when handling fuel. Stop the engine, and keep
heat, sparks, and flame away.
Handle fuel only outdoors.
Wipe up spills immediately.
Page 191 of 316
Wait a f ew minutes af ter turning the
engine of f bef ore you check the oil.Remove the dipstick again, and
check the level. It should be
between the upper and lower
marks.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, see
on 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.
Remove the dipstick (orange loop).
Wipe of f the dipstick with a clean
cloth or paper towel.
Insert it all the way back into its
tube.
If it is near or below the lower mark,
see
on page .
1.
2.
3. 4.
242
234
239
Service Station Procedures
Oil Check
Engine Coolant Check
A dding
Engine Coolant
Owner’s Maintenance
Checks
A dding Engine Oil
Bef ore Driving
189
UPPER MARK
LOWER MARK
MAX
MIN RESERVE TANK
DIPSTICK
Page 192 of 316
Try to maintain a constant speed.
Everytimeyouslowdownand
speed up, your vehicle uses extra
f uel. Use 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
).
an underinf lated tire
causes more ‘‘rolling resistance,’’
which uses 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.
Drive moderately. Rapid
acceleration, abrupt cornering,
and hard braking use more f uel.
Always drive in the highest gear
possible. 234
For example,
Fuel Economy
Improving Fuel Economy
Owner’s
Maintenance Checks
190
Page 199 of 316

This section gives you tips on
starting the engine under various
conditions, and how to operate the
automatic transmission. It also
includes important inf ormation on
parking your vehicle, the braking
system, the VTM-4system (4WD
models only), the VSA system, the
tire pressure monitoring system, and
f acts you need if you are planning to
tow a trailer. ........................
Driving Guidelines .198
.......................
Starting the Engine .199
..............
Automatic Transmission . 200
..............................
VTM-4 System .204
Tire Pressure Monitoring ........................
System (TPMS) .205
..................................
Parking Tips .207
.............................
Braking System .208
...............
Anti-lock Brakes (ABS) . 209
Vehicle Stability Assist (VSA) ........................................
System .211
.........................
VSA Of f Switch .212
...........................
Towing a Trailer .213
......................
Trailer Driving Tips .220
Of f -Highway Driving ..................................
Guidelines .223
Driving
Driving
197