This indicator comes on when you
turn the ignition switch to the ON
(II) position. If it comes on at any
other time, it indicates that the
passenger’s side airbag has
automatically shut off. For more
info rmation, see page .
This indicator normally comes on for
a few seconds when you turn the
ignition switch to the ON (II)
position, and when the ignition
switch is turned to the START (III)
position. If it comes on at any other
time, there is a problem with the
ABS. If this happens, have your
vehicle checked at a dealer. With
this on, your vehicle still has normal
braking ability but no anti -lock
brakes. For more information, see
page .
This
indicator comes on briefly when
you turn the ignition switch to the
ON (II) position. If it comes on at
any other time, it indicates a
poten tial problem with your front
airbags. This indica tor will also alert
you to a poten tial problem with your
side airbags, passenger’s side airbag
automatic cutoff system, side curtain
airbags, automatic seat belt
tensioners, driver’s seat position
sensor, or the front passenger’s
weight sensors. For more
info rmation, see page .
This
indicator has two functions:
Itcomesonwhenyouturnthe
ignition switch to the ON (II)
position. It is a reminder to check
the parking brake. A beeper
sounds if you drive with the
parking brake not fully released.
Driving with the parking brake not
fully released can damage the
brakes and tires.
If it remains lit after you fully
release the parking brake while
the engine is running, or if it
comes on while driving, there
could be a problem with the brake
system. For more information, see
page . 30
31
1.
2.
180
255 Anti-lock Brake System
(A BS) Indicator
Supplemental Restraint
System Indicator
Parking Brake and Brake System
Indicator
Side Airbag Of f
Indicator
Instrument Panel Indicators
Inst rument s and Cont rols
59
Canada
U.S.
Canada
U.S.
To apply the parking brake, pull the
lever up fully. To release it, pull up
slightly, push the button, and lower
the lever. The parking brake light on
the instrument panel should go out
when the parking brake is fully
released with the engine running
(see page ).
The moonroof has a key-of f delay
f unction. You can still open and close
the moonroof f or up to 10 minutes
after you turn off the ignition switch.
The key-of f delay f unction cancels as
soon as you open either f ront door.
You must then turn the ignition
switch to the ON (II) position to
operate the moonroof .
59
Parking Brake
Moonroof , Parking Brake
Inst rument s and Cont rols
95
PARKING BRAKE LEVERIf you try to open the moonroof in
below-f reezing temperatures, or when
it is covered with snow or ice, you can
damage the moonroof panel or motor.
Driving the vehicle with the parking
brake applied can damage the rear
brakes and hubs.
Push on the accelerator pedal. Ac-
celerate to the desired cruising
speed and press the DECEL/SET
button.
To increase the speed in very
small amounts, tap the RES/
ACCEL button. Each time you do
this, your vehicle will speed up
about 1 mph (1.6 km/h).
You can decrease the set cruising
speed in any of these ways: Press and hold the SET/DECEL
button. Release the button when
you reach the desired speed.
To slow down in very small
amounts, tap the DECEL/SET
button repeatedly. Each time you
do this, your vehicle will slow
down about 1 mph (1.6 km/h). Even with the cruise control turned
on, you can still use the accelerator
pedal to speed up f or passing. Af ter
completing the pass, take your foot
of f the accelerator pedal. The vehicle
will return to the set cruising speed.
Resting your f oot on the brake or
clutch pedal causes the cruise
control to cancel.
Thecruisecontrolmaynotholdthe
set speed when you are going up and
down hills. If your speed increases
going down a hill, use the brakes to
slow down to the desired speed. This
will cancel the cruise control. To
resume the set speed, press the
RES/ACCEL button. The CRUISE
CONTROL indicator on the
instrument panel comes on.
Press and hold the RES/ACCEL
button. When you reach the
desired cruising speed, release the
button.
You can increase the set cruising
speed in any of these ways: Tap the brake or clutch pedal
lightly with your f oot. The
CRUISE CONTROL indicator on
the instrument panel will go out.
When the vehicle slows to the
desired speed, press the DECEL/
SET button.
Cruise Control
Changing the Set Speed
146
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.
You may hear a knocking noise from
the engine if you drive the vehicle at
low engine speed (below about 1,000
rpm) in a higher gear. To stop this,
raise the engine speed by shif ting to
a lower gear. 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.
For vehicles with manual transmission
Break-in Period, Fuel Recommendation
Break-in Period
Fuel Recommendation
154
Before installing any accesso ry:
Make sure the accessory does not
obscure any lights, or interfere
with proper vehicle operation or
performance.
Be sure electronic accessories do
not overload electrical circuits
(see page ) or interfere with
proper operation.
When properly installed, cellular
phones, alarms, two-way radios, and
low-powered audio systems should
not interfere with your vehicle’s
computer controlled systems, such
as your airbags and anti-lock brakes.
Modifying
your vehicle, or installing
some non-Honda accessories, can
make your vehicle unsafe. Before
you make any modifi cations or add
anyaccessories,besuretoreadthe
following information.
Your dealer has Honda accessories
that allow you to personalize your
vehicle. These accessories have
been designed and approved for your
vehicl e, and are covered by warranty. Before installing any electronic
accessory, have the insta ller
contact your dealer for assistance.
If possible, have your dealer
insp ect the final installation.
Do not install accessories on the
side pillars or across the rear
windows. In these areas,
accessories may interfere with
proper operation of the side
cu rtain airbags.
Al
though non-Honda accessories
may f it on your vehicle, they may not
meet f actory specif ications, and
could adversely af f ect your vehicle’s
handling and stability (see next page
f or additional inf ormation). 257
A ccessories
A ccessories and Modif ications
162
Improper accessories or
modifications can affect your
vehicle’s handling, stability, and
performance, and cause a
crash in which you can be hurt
or killed.
Follow all instructions in this
owner’s manual regarding
accessories and modifications.
Removing parts f rom your vehicle,
or replacing components with
af termarket components could
seriously af f ect your vehicle’s
handling, stability, and reliability.Lowering the vehicle with an
aftermarket suspension kit that
signif icantly reduces ground
clearance can allow the
undercarriage to hit speed bumps
or other raised objects, which
could cause the airbags to deploy.
Raising your vehicle with an
aftermarket suspension kit can
af f ect the handling and stability.
Non-Honda wheels, because they
are a universal design, can cause
excessive stress on suspension
components. Larger or smaller wheels and tires
can interf ere with the operation of
your vehicle’s anti-lock brakes and
other systems.
If you plan to modif y your vehicle,
consult your dealer. Any object
attached to or placed on the covers
marked ‘‘SRS AIRBAG’’ in the
center of the steering wheel and
on top of the dashboard, could
interf ere with the proper operation
of the airbags. Or, if the airbags
inf late, the objects could be
propelled inside the vehicle and
hurt someone. If a side airbag
or a side curtain airbag inf lates, a
cupholderorotherhardobject
attached on or near the door could
be propelled inside the vehicle and
hurt someone.
This could prevent the
airbag from inflating properly.
Modif ying your steering wheel or
any other part of your vehicle’s
safety features can make the
systems inef f ective.
Herearesomeexamples: Modif ying Your Vehicle
Additional Saf ety Precautions
Do not at t ach or place object s onthe f ront airbag covers. Do not at t ach hard object s on or
near a f ront door.
Do not place any object s over orreplacetheoutsideedgeof afrontseat-back.
A ccessories and Modif ications
Bef ore Driving
163
This section gives you tips on
starting the engine under various
conditions, and how to operate the
manual and automatic transmissions.
It also includes important
information on parking your vehicle,
the braking system, the traction
control system, and f acts you need if
you are planning to tow a trailer.........................
Preparing to Drive .168
.......................
Starting the Engine .169
...................
Manual Transmission . 170
.....
Recommended Shif t Points . 171
..............
Engine Speed Limiter . 172
.......................
Reverse Lockout .172
..............
Automatic Transmission . 173
Shif t Lever Position ...............................
Indicators .173
.......................................
Shif ting .173
..............
Engine Speed Limiter . 175
....................
Shif t Lock Release . 176
...........................................
Parking .178
..............................
Parking Tips .178
.............................
Braking System .179
...........
Braking System Design . 179
.....
Brake Pad Wear Indicators . 179
...............
Anti-lock Brakes (ABS) . 180
............................
ABS Indicator .180
Vehicle Stability Assist (VSA) ....................................
System .182
.........
VSA Activation Indicator . 182
..............
VSA System Indicator . 182
.........................
VSA Of f Switch .183
...........................
Towing a Trailer .184
Driving
Driving
167
VSA and Tire Sizes ................... 183
The manual transmission is
synchronized in all forward gears for
smooth operation. It has a lockout so
you cannot shift directly from fifth to
reverse.
On vehicles with 6-speed manual
transmission, the lockout system
prevents you from shifting directly from
fifth to reverse instead of sixth
(see page ).
When shif ting up or down, make
sure you push the clutch pedal down
all the way, shif t to the next gear,
and let the pedal up gradually. Avoid
skipping gears when shif ting up or
down or serious transmission
damage can occur. When you are not
shif ting, do not rest your f oot on the
clutch pedal. This can cause your
clutch to wear out f aster. Come to a full stop before you shift
into reverse. You can damage the
transmission by trying to shift into
reverse with the vehicle moving.
Push down the clutch pedal, and
pause f or a f ew seconds bef ore
shif ting into reverse, or shif t into one
of the f orward gears f or a moment.
This stops the gears so they won’t
‘‘grind.’’
When slowing down, you can get
extra braking from the engine by
shifting to a lower gear. This extra
braking can help you maintain a safe
speed and prevent your brakes f rom
overheating while going down a
steep hill. Failure to make sure the
engine speed will not go into the
tachometer’s red zone in a lower
gear can cause serious engine
damage.
172
On all 4-cylinder models with 5-speed
manual transmissionOn al l V6 models with 6-speedmanual transmission
Manual T ransmission
170
5-speed M/T 6-speed M/T