This section explains why it is
important to keep your vehicle well
maintained and how to follow basic
maintenance safety precautions.
This section also includes
instructions on how to read the
maintenance messages, a
maintenance record, and instructions
for simple maintenance tasks you
may want to take care of yourself.
If you have the skills and tools to
perform more complex maintenance
tasks on your vehicle, you may want
to purchase the service manual. See
page f or inf ormation on how to
obtain a copy, or see your dealer. ......................
Maintenance Saf ety .192
....................
Maintenance Minder . 193
....................
Maintenance Record .200
..............................
Fluid Locations .202
........................
Adding Engine Oil .204
.......
Recommended Engine Oil . 204
..............................
Synthetic Oil .205
................
Engine Oil Additives . 205
.........
Changing the Oil and Filter . 206
..............................
Engine Coolant .208
............
Adding Engine Coolant . 208
....................
Windshield Washers .210
.......................
Transmission Fluid .211
..........
Automatic Transmission . 211
5-speed Manual Transmission. 213
................
Brake and Clutch Fluid . 215
................................
Brake Fluid .216
...............................
Clutch Fluid .216
....................
Power Steering Fluid . 216
....................................
Timing Belt .217
.............................................
Lights .218
................
Cleaning the Seat Belts . 224
.....................................
Floor Mats .224
..................
Dust and Pollen Filter . 225
.................................
Wiper Blades .226 ...............................................
Tires .228
..................
Inf lation Guidelines . 228
Recommended Tire ...............................
Pressures .229
..........................
Tire Inspection .230
.....................
Tire Maintenance .230
.............................
Tire Rotation .231
...........
Replacing Tires Wheels . 232
......................
Wheels and Tires .232
..........................
Winter Driving .233
.............................
Snow Tires .233
............................
Tire Chains .234
...................
Checking the Battery . 235
.............................
Vehicle Storage .236
283
M ai ntenance
Maint enance
191
6-speed Manual Transmission . 214
Tires marked ‘‘M S’’ or ‘‘All
Season’’ on the sidewall have an all-
weather tread design suitable for
most winter driving conditions.
For the best performance in snowy
or icy conditions, you should install
snow tires or tire chains. They may
be required by local laws under
certain conditions. If
you mount snow tires on your
vehicle, make sure they are radial
tires of the same size and load range
as the original tires. Mount snow
tires on all four wheels. The traction
provided by snow tires on dry roads
maybelowerthanyouroriginaltires.
Check with the tire dealer for
maximum speed recommendations.
See page for DOT tire quality
grading information, and page
f or tire size inf ormation.
Tires
U.S. VP:
U.S. LX:
V6 models: U.S. SE, EX, and EX-L:
Canadian DX-G, SE, and EX-L:
271
273 Winter Driving
Tires
Snow T ires
Maint enance
233
P195/65R15 89H
P205/65R15 92H
P215/50R17 93V P205/60R16 91V
´
Check the inflation pressure of the
compact spare tire every time you
check the other tires. It should be
inflated to:
Follow these precautions:
Never exceed 50 mph (80 km/h).
This tire gives a harsher ride and
less traction on some road
surfaces. Use greater caution
while driving. Do
not mount snow chains on the
compact spare tire.
Do not use the compact spare tire
if you are towing a trailer.
Replace the tire when you can see
the tread wear indica tor 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 for mounting a regular tire.
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.
Do not use your compact spare
tire on another vehicle unless it is
thesamemakeandmodel.
Turn of f the VSA system (see
pages and ). Driving with
thecompactsparetiremay
activate the VSA.
On models with manual
transmission, do not drive f or a
long period with the compact
spare tire mounted on a f ront
wheel; it will damage the limited
slip dif f erential.182 183
V6 models
Compact Spare Tire
240
INDICATOR LOCATION MARK
TREAD WEAR INDICATOR BAR
60 psi (420 kPa , 4.2 kgf/cm)
CONT INUED
Technical Descriptions......
DOT Tire Quality Grading . 271
.....
Emissions Control Systems . 274
Three Way Catalytic ...............................
Converter .276
.......................
Temperature Gauge .65
..............
Tether Anchorage Points . 48
..
Three Way Catalytic Converter . 276
..........................
Time, Setting the .143
....................................
Timing Belt .217
....................................
Tire Chains .234
.........
Tire, How to Change a Flat . 241
.................................
Tire Labeling .273
...............................................
Tires .228
..............................
Air Pressure .229
.........................
Checking Wear .230
..........................
Compact Spare .240
......
DOT Tire Quality Grading . 271
......................................
Inf lation .228
..................................
Inspection .230
...................................
Replacing .232
......................................
Rotating .231
...........................................
Snow .233
............................
Specif ications .270
...................
Tools, Tire Changing . 241Towing
.....................................
A Trailer .184
................
Emergency Wrecker . 262
Transmission Checking Fluid Level, ......................
Automatic . 211, 212
Checking Fluid Level, ...........................
Manual . 213, 214
..
Fluid Selection . 211, 213, 214, 215
..............
Identif ication Number . 267
.............
Shif ting the Automatic . 173
..................
Shif ting the Manual . 170
.....................................
Treadwear .271
.......................................
Trip Meter .65
................................................
Trunk .82
....................
Emergency Opener .83
.................................
Opening the .82
...................
Open Monitor Light . 60
....................................
Turn Signals .69 ..................................
Vanity Mirror .96
.................
Vehicle Capacity Load . 165
......................
Vehicle Dimensions .268
....
Vehicle Identif ication Number . 266
Vehicle Stability Assist (VSA) ....................................
System .182
...
VSA Activation Indicator . 60, 182
.........................
VSA Of f Switch .183
........
VSA System Indicator . 60, 182
.............................
Vehicle Storage .236
.................................................
VIN .266
..................................
Viscosity, Oil .204
...........
Voice Control System . 104, 116
............
WARNING, Explanation of . iii
.........
Warning Labels, Location of . 54
....................
Warranty Coverages .281
Unexpected, Taking Care of
...............................................
the .239
....
Unif orm Tire Quality Grading . 271
........................
Unleaded Gasoline .154 .......
Used Oil, How to Dispose of . 207
Index
U V
W
INDEX
VII