
Improperly replacing
or covering f ront seat-back covers
can prevent your side airbags f rom
inf lating during a side impact.
If water or
another liquid soaks into a seat-
back, it can prevent the side airbag
cutof f system f rom working
properly.
Together, airbags and
seat belts provide the best
protection.
This could make the
driver’s seat position sensor or the
f ront passenger’s weight sensors
inef f ective. If it is necessary to
remove or modif y a f ront seat to
accommodate a person with
disabilities, f irst contact Honda
Automobile Customer Service at
(800) 999-1009. Tampering could cause
the airbags to deploy, possibly
causing very serious injury.
Even if your
airbags do not inflate, your dealer
should inspect the driver’s seat
position sensor and the f ront
passenger’s weight sensors to
make sure they are operating
properly.
Additional Inf ormation About Your Airbags
Do not cover or replace f ront seat -
back covers wit hout consult ing your dealer.
Do not expose t he f ront passenger’sseat-back to liquid.
Donotattempttodeactivateyour
airbags.
Do not remove or modif y a f rontseat without consulting yourdealer.
Do not t amper wit h airbag
component s or wiring f or any
reason.
If your vehicle has a moderat e t o
severe impact .Additional Saf ety Precautions
32
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You can use the instrument panel
brightness control buttons to adjust
the illumination of the audio system
(see page ). The audio system
illuminates when the parking lights
are on, even if the radio is of f .
You can select the background
screen to display the sound level.
There are three screen modes: level
(the sound level is shown with the
vertical bars), spectrum analysis (the
sound level appears as ripples of
water), and off. Each time you touch
the background icon, the display
changes.
The system will return to the audio
display about 5 seconds af ter you
stop adjusting a mode.
You can also select the icon with the
joystick. Move it up and down to
move the highlighting and scroll
through lists. Select the icon, then
move the joystick to lef t or right to
change the setting.
This f unction is set to MID as the
def ault setting when the vehicle
leaves the f actory. If you f eel the
sound is too loud, choose low. If you
f eel the sound is too quiet, choose Hi.
73
A udio System L ighting
Audio System (Models with navigation system)
Screen Mode
Features
141
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Check the brakes after driving
through deep water. Apply the
brakes moderately to see if they f eel
normal. If not, apply them gently and
f requently until they do. Be extra
cautious in your driving.
Resting yo ur fo o t o n the brake pedal
applies the brakes slig htly. T his
builds up heat, and reduc es brake
effec tiveness and brake pad life. In
additio n, fuel ec o no my c an be
reduc ed. It also keeps yo ur brake
lig hts o n all the time, c o nfusingdriver's behind yo u. Co nstant
applic atio n o f the brakes when g o ing
do wn a lo ng hill builds up heat and
reduc es their effec tive ness. Use the
eng ine to assist the brakes by taking
yo ur fo o t o ff the ac c elerato r and
do wnshifting to a lo wer g ear.
The hydraulic system that operates
the brakes has two separate circuits.
Each circuit works diagonally across
the vehicle (the lef t-f ront brake is
connected with the right-rear brake,
etc.). If one circuit should develop a
problem, you will still have braking
at two wheels. If the brake pads need replacing, you
will hear a distinctive, metallic
screeching sound when you apply
the brake pedal. If you do not have
the brake pads replaced, they will
screech all the time. It is normal f or
the brakes to occasionally squeal or
squeak when you apply them.
Your vehicle is equipped with f ront
disc brakes. The brakes on the rear
wheels may be disc or drum,
depending on the model. A power
assist helps reduce the ef f ort needed
on the brake pedal. The ABS helps
you retain steering control when
braking very hard.
Braking System DesignBrake Pad Wear Indicators
Braking System
Driving
199
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Always use Honda Long-lif e Anti-
f reeze/Coolant Type 2. This coolant
is pre-mixed with 50 percent
antif reeze and 50 percent water.
Never add straight antifreeze or
plain water.
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, let it sit f or
several minutes, then check the oil
level on the dipstick. If necessary,
add more oil.
9.
Changing the Oil and Filter, Engine Coolant
A dding Engine Coolant
228
RESERVE TANK RESERVE TANK
Except U.S. Si U.S. Si
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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Check the f luid level in the
windshield washer reservoir at least
monthly during normal use.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 the blade edges.
Fill the reservoir with a good-quality
windshield washer f luid. This
increases the cleaning capability and
prevents f reezing in cold weather. The low washer
level indicator comes on when the
level is low (see page ).
Check the f luid level by removing
the cap and looking at the level
gauge. 64
On Canadian models:
Windshield Washers
Maint enance
231
LEVEL GAUGELEVEL GAUGE
Except U.S. Si U.S. Si
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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Dirt build-up in the loops of the seat
belt anchors can cause the belts to
retract slowly. Wipe the insides of
the loops with a clean cloth
dampened in mild soap and warm
water or isopropyl alcohol.This f ilter removes the dust and
pollenthatisbroughtinfromthe
outside through the heating and
cooling system.
If your seat belts get dirty, use a sof t
brush with a mixture of mild soap
and warm water to clean them. Do
not use bleach, dye, or cleaning
solvents. Let the belts air dry bef ore
you use the vehicle. The floor mats that came with your
vehicle hook over the f loor mat
anchors. This keeps them f rom
sliding f orward and possibly
interf ering with vehicle operation.
If you remove the driver’s f loor mat,
make sure to re-anchor it when you
putitbackinyourvehicle.If you use non-Honda f loor mats,
make sure they f it properly and that
theycanbeusedwiththefloormat
anchors. Do not put additional f loor
mats on top of the anchored mats.
Have your dealer replace the filter
when this service is indicated by a
maintenance message on the
inf ormation display. It should be
replaced every 15,000 miles (24,000
km) if you drive primarily in urban
areas that have high concentrations
of soot in the air, or if the f low f rom
the heating and cooling system
becomeslessthanusual.
If equipped
On models with A/C
Floor Mats
Dust and Pollen Filter
Cleaning the Seat Belts
Cleaning the Seat Belts, Floor Mats, Dust and Pollen Filter
242
LOOP
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Check the condition of the battery
monthlybylookingatthetest
indicator window. The label on the
battery explains the test indicator’s
colors.If additional battery maintenance is
needed, see your dealer or a
qualif ied technician.
Battery posts,
terminals, and related accessories
contain lead and lead compounds.
Check the terminals f or corrosion (a
white or yellowish powder). To
remove it, cover the terminals with a
solution of baking soda and water. It
will bubble up and turn brown. When
this stops, wash it of f with plain
water. Dry off the battery with a
cloth or paper towel. Coat the
terminals with grease to help prevent
f urther corrosion.
Checking the Battery
WARNING:
Wash your hands af ter handling.
252
TEST INDICATOR WINDOW TEST INDICATOR WINDOW
Except U.S. Si U.S. Si
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Put the radiator cap back on
tightly. Run the engine, and check
the temperature gauge. If it goes
back to the red mark, the engine
needs repair (seeon page ).
If you do not see steam or spray,
leave the engine running, and
watch the temperature gauge. If
the high heat is due to overloading,
the engine should start to cool
down almost immediately. If it
does, wait until the temperature
gauge comes down to the midpoint,
then continue driving.
If the temperature gauge stays at
the red mark, turn of f the engine.
Look f or any obvious coolant leaks,
such as a split radiator hose.
Everything is still extremely hot,
so use caution. If you f ind a leak, it
must be repaired bef ore you
continue driving (see
on page ).
If you don’t f ind an obvious leak,
check the coolant level in the
radiator reserve tank (see page ). Add coolant if the level is
below the MIN mark. Start the engine, and set the
temperature control dial to
maximum heat. Add coolant to the
radiator up to the base of the f iller
neck. If you do not have the
proper coolant mixture available,
you can add plain water.
Remember to have the cooling
system drained and ref illed with
the proper mixture as soon as you
can.
If the temperature stays normal,
check the coolant level in the
radiator reserve tank. If it has
gone down, add coolant to the
MAX mark. Put the cap back on
tightly.
Using gloves or a large heavy
cloth, turn the radiator cap
counterclockwise, without pushing
down, to the f irst stop. Af ter the
pressure releases, push down on
the cap, and turn it until it comes
off.
If there was no coolant in the
reserve tank, you may need to add
coolant to the radiator. Let the
engine cool down until the reading
reaches the middle of the
temperature gauge or lower
bef ore checking the radiator.
7. 8. 9.
3. 4. 5. 6. 10. 11.
276
181 276
Emergency
Towing
Emergency
Towing
If theEngineOverheats
266
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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