Page 148 of 221

If Honda antif reeze/coolant is not
available, you may use another
major-brand non-silicate coolant as a
temporaryreplacement.Makesureit
is a high-quality coolant
recommended f or aluminum engines.
Continued use of any non-Honda
coolant can result in corrosion,
causing the cooling system to
malf unction or f ail. Have the cooling
system f lushed and ref illed with
Honda antif reeze/coolant as soon as
possible.
If the coolant level in the reserve
tank is at or below the MIN line, add
coolant to bring it up to the MAX line.
Inspect the cooling system f or leaks.
Turn of f the engine and let it sit
f or several minutes, then check
the oil level on the dipstick. If
necessary, add more oil. Let the engine run f or several
minutes, then check the drain bolt
and oil f ilter f or leaks.
Always use Honda Long-Lif e
Antif reeze/Coolant Type 2. This
coolant is pre-mixed with 50 %
antif reeze and 50 % water. Never add
straight antif reeze or plain water.
9.
10.
Changing the Oil and Filter, Engine Coolant
A dding Engine Coolant
146
RESERVE TANK
MAX MIN
Improper disposal of engine oil can be
harmf ul to the environment. If you
change your own oil, please dispose of
the used oil properly. Put it in a sealed
container and take it to a recycling
center. Do not discard it in a trash bin
or dump it on the ground.
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Page 149 of 221

If the reserve tank is completely
empty, you should also check the
coolant level in the radiator.When the radiator and engine are
cool, relieve any pressure in the
cooling system by turning the
radiator cap counterclockwise,
without pressing down.
Remove the radiator cap by
pushing down and turning
counterclockwise.The coolant level should be up to
the base of the f iller neck. Add
coolant if it is low.
Pour the coolant slowly and
caref ully so you do not spill any.
Clean up any spill immediately; it
could damage components in the
engine compartment.
Put the radiator cap on, and
tighten it fully.
Pour coolant into the reserve tank.
Fill it to half way between the MAX
and MIN marks. Put the cap back
on the reserve tank.
Do not add any rust inhibitors or
other additives to your vehicle’s
cooling system. They may not be
compatible with the coolant or
engine components.
2. 3.
4.
5.
1.
Engine Coolant
Maint enance
147
RADIATOR CAP
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.
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Page 150 of 221
Check the f luid level by looking at
the level gauge attached to the cap. Check the f luid level in the
windshield washer reservoir at least
monthly during normal use.Fill the reservoir with a good-quality
windshield washer f luid. This
increases the cleaning capability and
prevents f reezing in cold weather.
When you ref ill the reservoir, clean
the edges of the windshield wiper
blades with windshield washer f luid
on a clean cloth. This will help to
condition them.
Windshield Washers
148
LEVEL GAUGERESERVOIR CAP
Do not use engine antif reeze or a
vinegar/water solution in the
windshield washer reservoir. Antif reeze
can damage your vehicle’s paint, while
a vinegar/water solution can damage
the windshield washer pump. Use only
commercially-available windshield
washer f luid.
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Page 151 of 221

If Honda MTF is not available, you
may use an SAE 10W-30 or 10W-40
viscosity motor oil with the API
Certif ication seal that says ‘‘FOR
GASOLINE ENGINES’’ as a
temporary replacement. However,
motor oil does not contain the proper
additives, and continued use can
cause stiffer shifting. Replace as
soon as it is convenient.
If you are not sure how to check and
add f luid, contact your dealer.
Check the f luid level with the
transmission at normal operating
temperature and the vehicle sitting
on level ground. Remove the
transmission f iller bolt, and caref ully
f eel inside the bolt hole with your
f inger. The f luid level should be up
to the edge of the bolt hole. If it is
not, add Honda Manual
Transmission Fluid (MTF) until it
starts to run out of the hole. Install
the f iller bolt, and tighten it securely. The transmission should be drained
and ref illed with new f luid according
to the intervals shown on the
inf ormation display.
Manual T ransmission Fluid
Maint enance
149
CORRECT LEVEL
FILLER BOLT
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Page 165 of 221

In addition to proper inf lation,
correct wheel alignment helps to
decrease tire wear. If you f ind a tire
is worn unevenly, have your dealer
check the wheel alignment.
Have your dealer check the tires if
you f eel a consistent vibration while
driving. A tire should always be
rebalanced if it is removed f rom the
wheel. When you have new tires
installed, make sure they are
balanced. This increases riding
comf ort and tire lif e. For best results,
have the installer perform a dynamic
balance.You should not rotate your vehicle’s
tires. The f ront and rear tires are
dif f erent sizes, so they cannot be
rotated f ront-to-rear. The original-
equipment tires on your vehicle have
a unidirectional tread pattern, so
they cannot be rotated side-to-side.
The tires that came on your vehicle
were designed and constructed to
provide superior grip during
acceleration, braking, and cornering.
As a trade-of f , they will wear more
rapidly than tires used on ordinary
passenger vehicles. Because of the
vehicle’s weight distribution, and the
fact that the rear wheels are the
driving wheels, you can expect them
to wear more rapidly than the f ront
tires.Themileageyoucanexpectfrom
yourvehicletiresisthesameas
comparable mid-and rear-engine
sports cars, and it will vary greatly
with your driving habits.
If you drive moderately, the rear
tires could last more than 10,000
miles (16,000 km). However, the
mileage will be substantially less if
you tend to drive your vehicle at the
upper limits of its capabilities.
You should caref ully inspect your
vehicle’s tires f or wear, damage, and
proper inf lation every 7,500 miles
(12,000 km) or when tire inspection
is indicated on the inf ormation
display (see page ).
139
T ire Maintenance T ire Rotation
Tire Wear
Tires
Maint enance
163
Improper wheel weights can damage
your vehicle’s aluminum wheels. Use
only Honda wheel weights f or
balancing.
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Page 171 of 221

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 .170
....................
Changing a Flat Tire .171
.............
If the Engine Won’t Start .176
................................
Jump Starting .178
..............
If the Engine Overheats .179
.........
Low Oil Pressure Indicator .182
..........
Charging System Indicator .182
.......
Malf unction Indicator Lamp .183
...............
Brake System Indicator .184
.......
Closing the Convertible Top .185
..............................................
Fuses .186
..........
Checking and Replacing .187
..............................
Fuse Locations .189
......................
Emergency Towing .191
..........
If Your Vehicle Gets Stuck .191
Taking Care of the Unexpected
T aking Care of t he Unexpect ed
169
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Page 178 of 221

Diagnosing why the engine won’t
start f alls into two areas, depending
on what you hear when you press
the ENGINE START button.You hear nothing, or almost
nothing. The engine’s starter
motor does not operate at all, or
operates very slowly.
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. When you press the ENGINE
START button, 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.
Check these things:
Check the transmission interlock.
The clutch pedal must be pushed
all the way to the f loor or the
starter will not operate.
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. See on page . Press the ENGINE START button,
then release it. If the headlights do
not dim, check the condition of the
f uses. If the f uses are OK, there is
probably something wrong with
the electrical circuit f or the
ignition switch or starter motor.
You will need a qualif ied mechanic
to determine the problem. (See
on page .)
178 191
Nothing Happens or the Starter
Motor Operates Very Slowly
Jump Starting Emergency T owing
If theEngineWon’tStart
176
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Page 179 of 221

If the headlights dim noticeably or
go out when you try to start the
engine, either the battery is
discharged or the connections are
corroded. Check the condition of the
battery and terminal connections
(see page ). You can then try
jump starting the vehicle from a
booster battery (see page ).In this case, the starter motor’s
speed sounds normal, or even f aster
than normal, when you press the
ENGINE START button, but the
engine does not run.
There may be an electrical
problem, such as no power to the
f uel pump. Check all the f uses
(see page ).
Are you using a properly coded
key? An improperly coded key will
cause the immobilizer system
indicator in the instrument panel
to blink rapidly (see page ).
Are you using the proper starting
procedure? Ref er to on page .
Do you have f uel? Check the f uel
gauge; the low f uel indicator may
not be working. If youfindnothingwrong,youwill
need a qualif ied mechanic to f ind the
problem. See
on page .
166
178
122 186
191
61
T he Starter Operates Normally
Starting the
Engine Emergency T owing
If theEngineWon’tStart
T aking Care of t he Unexpect ed
177
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