Page 211 of 311

When preparing to tow, and before
driving away, be sure to check the
following:
The vehicle has been properly
serviced, and the tires, brakes,
suspension, cooling system, and
lights are in good operating
condition.
All weights and loads are within
limits (see pag es and ).
Thehitch,safetychains,andany
other attachments are secure.
All items in or on the trailer are
properly secured and cannot shift
while you drive.
The lights and brakes on your
vehicle and the trailer are working
properly. Your
vehicle tires and spare are
properly inf lated (see page ),
and the trailer tires and spare are
trailer maker.
Crosswinds and air turbulence
caused by passing trucks can disrupt
your steering and cause trailer to
sway. When being passed by a large
vehicle, keep a constant speed, and
steer straight ahead. Do not try to
make quick steering or braking
corrections. Always drive slowly and have
someone guide you when backing up.
Grip the of the steering
wheel; then turn the wheel to the lef t
to get the trailer to move to the lef t,
andturnthewheelrighttomovethe
trailer to the right.
Follow all normal precautions when
parking, including f irmly setting the
parking brake and putting the
transmission in Park (automatic) or
in 1st or reverse (manual). Also,
place wheel chocks at each of the
trailer’s tires.
246
205
204
bottom
Pre-T ow Checklist
Handling Crosswinds and Buf f et ing Backing Up
Parking
Towing a Trailer
208
Page 214 of 311

This section explains why it is
important to keep your vehicle well
maintained and how to follow basic
maintenance safety precautions.
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. This section also includes
instructions on how to read the
maintenance minder messages on
the information display, a
maintenance record, and instructions
for simple maintenance tasks you
may want to take care of yourself. ......................
Maintenance Saf ety .212
....................
Maintenance Minder .213
....................
Maintenance Record .220
..............................
Fluid Locations .222
........................
Adding Engine Oil .224
Changing the Engine Oil
....................................
and Filter .226
..............................
Engine Coolant .228
....................
Windshield Washers .231
.......................
Transmission Fluid .232
..........
Automatic Transmission .232
..............
Manual Transmission .233
................
Brake and Clutch Fluid .234
....................
Power Steering Fluid .235
.............................................
Lights .236
................
Cleaning the Seat Belts .242
.....................................
Floor Mats .242
..................
Dust and Pollen Filter .242
.................................
Wiper Blades .243
...............................................
Tires .245
...................
Checking the Battery .252
.............................
Vehicle Storage .254
297
Maintenance
Maint enance
211
Page 215 of 311

To eliminate potential hazards, read
the instructions bef ore you begin,
and make sure you have the tools
and skills required.Do
not run the engine unless
instructed to do so.
Some of the most important saf ety
precautions are given here. However,
we cannot warn you of every
conceivable hazard that can arise in
perf orming maintenance. Only you
can decide whether or not you
should perf orm a given task.
Make sure your vehicle is parked
on level ground, the parking brake
is set, and the engine is of f .
All service items not detailed in this
section should be perf ormed by a
certif ied technician or qualif ied
mechanic.
To clean parts, use a commercially
available degreaser or parts
cleaner, not gasoline.
To reduce the possibility of f ire or
explosion, keep cigarettes, sparks,
and flames away from the battery
and all f uel-related parts.
Wear eye protection and
protective clothing when working
with the battery or compressed air. Be sure there is
adequate ventilation whenever you
operate the engine.
Let the
engine and exhaust system cool
down bef ore touching any parts.
Maintenance Saf ety
Important Saf ety Precautions Injury f rom moving parts.
Potential Vehicle Hazards Carbon Monoxide poison f rom
engine exhaust.
Burns f rom hot parts.
212
Failure to properly follow
maintenance instructions and
precautions can cause you to
be seriously hurt or killed.
Always follow the procedures
and precautions in this owner’s
manual.
Improperly maintaining this
vehicle, or failing to correct a
problem before driving can
cause a crash in which you can
be seriously hurt or killed.
Always follow the inspection
and maintenance
recommendations and
schedules in this owner’s
manual.
Page 216 of 311

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CONTINUED
Calculated Engine
Oil Life (%)
100 % 91 %
90 % 81 %
80 % 71 %
70 % 61 %
60 % 51 %
50 % 41 %
40 % 31 %
30 % 21 %
20 % 16 %
15 % 11 %
10 % 6 %
5% 1%
0% Displayed
Engine Oil Life (%)
100 %
90 %
80 %
70 %
60 %
50 %
40 %
30 %
20 %
15 %
10 %
5%
0%
Your vehicle displays engine oil life
and maintenance service items on
the information display to show you
when you should have your dealer
perform engine oil replacement and
indicated maintenance service.
Based on the engine operating
conditions and accumulated engine
revolutions, the onboard computer in
your vehicle calculates the remaining
engine oil life and displays it as a
percentage.
To see the current engine oil life,
turn the ignition switch to the ON
(II) position, and press the SEL/
RESET button repeatedly until the
engine oil lif e display appears (see
page ). The remaining engine oil lif e is
displayed on the inf ormation display
according to this table:
66
Maintenance Minder
Engine Oil L if e Display
Maint enance
213
ENGINE OIL LIFE DISPLAY
SEL/RESET BUTTON
Page 217 of 311
If the remaining engine oil lif e is 15
to 6 percent, you will see the engine
oil lif e indicator every time you turn
the ignition switch to the ON (II)
position. The maintenance minder
indicator will also come on, and the
maintenance item code(s) for other
scheduled maintenance items
needing service will be displayed
next to the engine oil lif e indicator.When the remaining engine oil lif e is
5 to 1 percent, you will see a
‘‘SERVICE’’ message along with the
same maintenance item code(s),
every time you turn the ignition
switch to the ON (II) position.
The 15 and 10 percent oil lif e
indicator reminds you that the time
is coming soon to take your vehicle
in f or the required maintenance.
Maintenance Minder
214
ENGINE OIL LIFE
INDICATOR
MAINTENANCE
ITEM CODE(S) SERVICE MESSAGE
Page 219 of 311

Your dealer will reset the display
after completing the required
maintenance service. You will see
‘‘OIL LIFE 100%’’ on the information
display the next time you turn the
ignition switch to the ON (II)
position.
If maintenance service is done by
someone other than your dealer,
reset the maintenance minder as
follows:
Turn the ignition switch to the ON
(II) position.
Press the SEL/RESET button
repeatedly until the engine oil life
indicator is displayed.
All
maintenance items displayed in
the information display are in code.
For an explanation of these
maintenance codes, see page .
You can change the inf ormation
display f rom the engine oil lif e
display to the odometer, the trip
meter, or the outside temperature (if
equipped) every time you press and
release the SEL/RESET button.
When the engine oil lif e is 0 percent
or negative mileage, the
maintenance minder indicator
( )remainsonevenif you
change the inf ormation display.
Immediately have the service
done, a
nd make sure to reset the
display (see Resetting the Engine
Oil Life Display). 1.
2.
219
Maintenance Minder
Resetting the Engine Oil Lif e
Display
Maintenance Main Items and Sub
Items
216
MAINTENANCE
SUB ITEM MAINTENANCE MAIN ITEM
Page 220 of 311
CONT INUED
If you have the required service
done but do not reset the display, or
reset the display without doing the
service, the system will not show the
proper maintenance intervals. This
canleadtoseriousmechanical
problems because you will no longer
have an accurate record of when
maintenance is needed.
Your authorized Honda dealer
knows your vehicle best and can
provide competent, ef f icient service.
Press the SEL/RESET button f or
more than 5 seconds. The
maintenance item code(s) will
disappear, and the engine oil lif e
will reset to ‘‘100.’’
Press the SEL/RESET button f or
about 10 seconds. The engine oil
lif e and the maintenance item
code(s) will blink.
4.
3.
Maintenance Minder
Important Maintenance
Precautions
Maint enance
217
Page 221 of 311

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Ì Engine
oil level Check every
time you fill the fuel tank. See
page .
Engine coolant level Check the
radiator reserve tank every time
you fill the fuel tank. See page .
Automatic transmission Check
the fluid level monthly. See page
.
Brakes Check the fluid level
monthly. See page .
Tires Check the tire pressure
monthly. Examine the tread for
wear and foreign objects. See page
.
Lights Check the operation of
the headlights, parking lights,
taillights, high-mount brake light,
and licen se plate lights monthly.
See page .
U.S.
Vehicles:
According to state and federal
regulations, failure to perform
maintenance on the items marked
with will not void your emissions
warranties. However, all
maintenance services should be
performed in accordance with the
intervals indicated by the
information display.
Youshouldcheckthefollowing
items at the specif ied intervals. If
you are unsure of how to perf orm
any check, turn to the appropriate
page listed.
However, service at a dealer is not
mandatory to keep your warranties
in effect. Maintenance may be done
by any qualif ied service f acility or
person who is skilled in this type of
automotive service. Make sure to
have the service f acility or person
reset the display as previously
described. Keep all receipts as proof
of completion, and have the person
who does the work fill out the
maintenance record. Check your
warranty booklet f or more
inf ormation.
We recommend using Honda parts
and fluids whenever you have
maintenance done. These are
manuf actured to the same high
quality standards as the original
components, so you can be conf ident
of their perf ormance and durability.
179
181
232 234
245
236
Maintenance Minder
Maintenance,
replacement, or repair of
emissions control devices and
systems may be done by any
automotive repair establishment
or individual using parts that are
‘‘certif ied’’ to EPA standards.
Owner’s Maintenance Checks
218