8 Maintenance and do-it-yourself Maintenance requirements ............................... 8-2
General maintenance........................................ 8-2
Explanation of general maintenance
items .......................................................... 8-3
Maintenance precautions .................................. 8-5
Engine compartment check locations................ 8-7
Engine cooling system ..................................... 8-8
Checking engine coolant level..................... 8-8
Changing engine coolant............................. 8-9
Engine oil ....................................................... 8-10
Checking engine oil level........................... 8-10
Changing engine oil and filter ................... 8-11
Automatic transmission fluid........................... 8-13
Power steering fluid ........................................ 8-13
Brake and clutch fluid..................................... 8-14
Brake fluid................................................. 8-14
Clutch fluid ............................................... 8-15
Window washer fluid ....................................... 8-15
Battery ............................................................ 8-16
Jump starting ............................................. 8-18
Drive belts ...................................................... 8-19
Spark plugs .................................................... 8-19
Replacing spark plugs ............................... 8-20 Air cleaner...................................................... 8-20
Windshield wiper blades ................................. 8-21
Cleaning .................................................... 8-21
Replacing .................................................. 8-22
Parking brake and brake pedal....................... 8-23
Checking parking brake............................. 8-23
Checking brake pedal................................ 8-23
Brake booster ........................................... 8-24
Fuses .............................................................. 8-25
Engine compartment.................................. 8-25
Passenger compartment ............................ 8-27
Keyfob battery replacement ............................ 8-28
Keyfob (except Intelligent Key) .................. 8-28
Intelligent Key ........................................... 8-29
Lights.............................................................. 8-31
Headlights................................................. 8-33
Exterior and interior lights......................... 8-33
Wheels and tires ............................................ 8-37
Tire pressure ............................................. 8-37
Tire labeling .............................................. 8-41
Types of tires ............................................ 8-43
Tire chains ................................................ 8-44
Changing wheels and tires ........................ 8-45
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EXPLANATION OF GENERAL
MAINTENANCE ITEMS Additional information on the following
items with ª*º is found later in this sec-
tion.
Outside the vehicle The maintenance items listed here should
be performed from time to time, unless
otherwise specified.
Doors and engine hood: Check that all
doors and the engine hood operate prop-
erly. Also ensure that all latches lock se-
curely. Lubricate hinges and latches if
necessary. Make sure that the secondary
latch keeps the hood from opening when
the primary latch is released.
When driving in areas using road salt or
other corrosive materials, check lubrica-
tion frequently.
Lights*: Clean the headlights on a regular
basis. Make sure that the headlights,
stop lights, tail lights, turn signal lights,
and other lights are all operating properly
and installed securely. Also check head-
light aim.
Road wheel nuts (lug nuts): When
checking the tires, make sure no wheel nuts are missing, and check for any loose
wheel nuts. Tighten if necessary.
Tires*: Check the pressure with a gauge
often and always prior to long distance
trips. If necessary, adjust the pressure in
all tires, including the spare, to the speci-
fied pressure. Check carefully for damage,
cuts or excessive wear.
Tire rotation*:
Sedan: The tires should be rotated every
7,500 miles (12,000 km) to minimize tire
wear variation.
Coupe: The tires cannot be rotated.
Tire, wheel alignment and balance: If the
vehicle should pull to either side while
driving on a straight and level road, or if
you detect uneven or abnormal tire wear,
there may be a need for wheel alignment.
If the steering wheel or seat vibrates at
normal highway speeds, wheel balancing
may be needed.
O For additional information regarding
tires, refer to ªImportant Tire Safety
Informationº (US) or ªTire Safety Infor-
mationº (Canada) in the Warranty In-
formation Booklet. Windshield: Clean the windshield on a
regular basis. Check the windshield at
least every six months for cracks or other
damage. Have a damaged windshield re-
paired by a qualified repair facility.
Windshield wiper blades*: Check for
cracks or wear if they do not wipe prop-
erly.
Maintenance and do-it-yourself
8-3
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TIRE PRESSURE
Tire pressure monitoring system
(TPMS) This vehicle is equipped with the tire
pressure monitoring system (TPMS). It
monitors tire pressure of all tires except
the spare. When the low tire pressure
warning light is lit, one or more of your
tires is significantly under-inflated.
The TPMS will activate only when the ve-
hicle is driven at speeds above 16 MPH
(25 km/h). Also, this system may not de-
tect a sudden drop in tire pressure (for
example a flat tire while driving).
For more details, refer to ªLow tire pres-
sure warning lightº in the ª2. Instruments
and controlsº section, ªTire pressure
monitoring system (TPMS)º in the ª5.
Starting and drivingº section, and ªFlat
tireº in the ª6. In case of emergencyº sec-
tion. Tire inflation pressure Check the tire pressure of the tires (in-
cluding the spare) often and always
prior to long distance trips. The recom-
mended tire pressure specifications are
shown on the F.M.V.S.S./C.M.V.S.S.
label or the Tire and Loading Informa-
tion label under the ªCOLD TIRE PRES-
SUREº heading. The Tire and Loading
Information label is affixed to the driver
side center pillar. Tire pressures should
be checked regularly because:
O Most tires naturally lose air over
time.
O Tires can lose air suddenly when
driven over potholes or other objects
or if the vehicle strikes a curb while
parking.
The tire pressures should be check
when the tires are cold. The tires are
considered COLD after the vehicle has
been parked for 3 or more hours, or
driven less than 1 mile (1.6 km) at mod-
erate speeds.SDI1779A
Vanity mirror light
SDI1401B
License plate light WHEELS AND TIRES
Maintenance and do-it-yourself
8-37
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Incorrect tire pressure, including under
inflation, may adversely affect tire life
and vehicle handling.
WARNINGO Improperly inflated tires can fail
suddenly and cause an accident.
O The Gross Vehicle Weight Rating
(GVWR) is located on the
F.M.V.S.S./C.M.V.S.S. label. The
vehicle weight capacity is indi-
cated on the Tire and Loading In-
formation label. Do not load your
vehicle beyond this capacity.
Overloading your vehicle may re-
sult in reduced tire life, unsafe op-
erating conditions due to prema-
ture tire failure, or unfavorable
handling characteristics and could
also lead to a serious accident.
Loading beyond the specified capacity may also result in a mal-
function of other vehicle compo-
nents.
O Before taking a long trip, or when-
ever you heavily load your vehicle,
use a tire pressure gauge to en-
sure that the tire pressures are at
the specified level.
O Do not drive your vehicle over 85
MPH (137 km/h) unless it is
equipped with high speed rated
tires. Driving faster than 85 MPH
(137 km/h) may result in tire mal-
function, loss of control and pos-
sible injury.
O For additional information re-
garding tires, refer to ªImportant
Tire Safety Informationº (US) or
ªTire Safety Informationº (Canada)
in the Warranty Information
Booklet.
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Tire and loading information label
q 1
Seating capacity: The maximum
number of occupants that can be
seated in the vehicle.
q 2
Vehicle load limit: See loading infor-
mation in the ªTechnical and con-
sumer informationº section. q 3
Original size: The size of the tires
originally installed on the vehicle at
the factory.
q 4
Cold tire pressure: Inflate the tires
to this pressure when the tires are
cold. Tires are considered COLD
after the vehicle has been parked for
3 or more hours, or driven less than
1 mile (1.6 km) at moderate speeds.
The recommended cold tire inflation
is set by the manufacturer to pro-
vide the best balance of tire wear,
vehicle handling, driveability, tire
noise, etc., up to the vehicle's
GVWR.
q 5
Tire size Ð refer to ªTire labelingº
later in this section.
q 6
Spare tire size or compact spare tire
size (if so equipped) SDI1948
Maintenance and do-it-yourself
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Checking the tire pressure 1. Remove the valve stem cap from the
tire.
2. Press the pressure gauge squarely
onto the valve stem. Do not press
too hard or force the valve stem
sideways, or air will escape. If the
hissing sound of air escaping from
the tire is heard while checking the
pressure, reposition the gauge to
eliminate this leakage. 3. Remove the gauge.
4. Read the tire pressure on the gauge
stem and compare it to the specifi-
cation shown on the Tire and
Loading Information label.
5. Add air to the tire as needed. If too
much air is added, press the core of
the valve stem briefly with the tip of
the gauge stem to release pressure.
Recheck the pressure and add or re-
lease air as needed.
6. Install the valve stem cap.
7. Check the pressure of all other tires,
including the spare. (Refer to the
ªWheels and tiresº section) Sedan
model Size Cold Tire
Inflation
Pressure
Front
Original
Tire P215/55R17 93V
235/45R18 94W 210 kPa
(30 psi)
230 kPa
(33 psi)
Rear
Original
Tire P215/55R17 93V
235/45R18 94W 210 kPa
(30 psi)
230 kPa
(33 psi)
Spare
Tire T145/80D17
P215/55R17 93V*1 420 kPa
(60 psi)
210 kPa
(30 psi)
*1 Option for USA, conventional for
Canada (for models with tire size
P215/55R17 93V)SDI1949
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Coupe
model Size Cold Tire
Inflation
Pressure
Front
Original
Tire P225/50R17 93V
225/45R18 91W
225/40R19 89Y 210 kPa
(30 psi)
240 kPa
(35 psi)
240 kPa
(35 psi)
Rear
Original
Tire P235/50R17 95V
245/45R18 96W
245/40R19 94Y 210 kPa
(30 psi)
240 kPa
(35 psi)
240 kPa
(35 psi)
Spare
Tire T145/80D17 420 kPa
(60 psi) TIRE LABELING Federal law requires tire manufacturers
to place standardized information on
the sidewall of all tires. This informa-
tion identifies and describes the funda-
mental characteristics of the tire and
also provides the tire identification
number (TIN) for safety standard certifi-
cation. The TIN can be used to identify
the tire in case of a recall. q 1
Tire size (example: P215/65R15 95H)
1. P: The ªPº indicates the tire is de-
signed for passenger vehicles. (Not
all tires have this information).
2. Three-digit number (215): This
number gives the width in millime-
ters of the tire from sidewall edge to
sidewall edge.
3. Two-digit number (65): This number,
known as the aspect ratio, gives the
tire's ratio of height to width. SDI1575
Example SDI1951
Example
Maintenance and do-it-yourself
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4. R: The ªRº stands for radial.
5. Two-digit number (15): This number
is the wheel or rim diameter in
inches.
6. Two- or three-digit number (95): This
number is the tire's load index. It is
a measurement of how much weight
each tire can support. You may not
find this information on all tires be-
cause it is not required by law.
7. H: Tire speed rating. You should not
drive the vehicle faster than the tire
speed rating.
q 2
TIN (Tire Identification Number) for a
new tire (example: DOT XX XX XXX
XXXX)
1. DOT: Abbreviation for the ªDepart-
ment of Transportationº. The
symbol can be placed above,
below or to the left or right of
the Tire Identification Number.
2. Two-digit code: Manufacturer's iden-
tification mark
3. Two-digit code: Tire size 4. Three-digit code: Tire type code (Op-
tional)
5. Three-digit code: Date of Manufac-
ture
6. Four numbers represent the week
and year the tire was built. For ex-
ample, the numbers 3103 mean the
31st week of 2003. If these numbers
are missing, then look on the other
sidewall of the tire.
q 3
Tire ply composition and material
The number of layers or plies of
rubber-coated fabric in the tire. Tire
manufacturers also must indicate
the materials in the tire, which in-
clude steel, nylon, polyester, and
others.
q 4
Maximum permissible inflation pres-
sure
This number is the greatest amount
of air pressure that should be put in
the tire. Do not exceed the
maximum permissible inflation pres-
sure. SDI1607
Example
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