Page 130 of 258

You can increase the set cruising
speed in any of these ways:Press and hold the RES/ACCEL
button. When you reach the
desired cruising speed, release the
button.
To increase your speed in very
small amounts, tap the RES/
ACCEL button. Each time you do
this, the vehicle will speed up
about 1 mph (1.6 km/h). Press and hold the DECEL/SET
button. Release the button when
you reach the desired speed.
To slow down in very small
amounts, tap the DECEL/SET
button. Each time you do this,
your vehicle will slow down about
1 mph (1.6 km/h).
Tap the brake or clutch pedal
lightly with your f oot. The
CRUISE CONTROL indicator on
the instrument panel goes out.
When the vehicle slows to the
desired speed, press the DECEL/
SET button.
You can decrease the set cruising
speed in any of these ways:
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.
Push on the accelerator pedal.
Accelerate to the desired cruising
speed, and press the DECEL/SET
button.
Cruise Control
Changing the Set Speed
128
Page 131 of 258
You can cancel cruise control in any
of these ways:
Tap the brake or clutch pedal.
Push the CANCEL button on the
steering wheel.
Push the CRUISE button on the
steering wheel. Wh
en you push the CANCEL button,
or tap the brake or clutch pedal, the
system will remember the previously
set cruising speed. To return to that
speed, accelerate to above 25 mph
(40 km/h) then press and release
the RES/ACCEL button. The
CRUISE CONTROL indicator comes
on. The vehicle will accelerate to the
same cruising speed as before.
Pressing the CRUISE button turns
the system off and erases the
previous cruising speed.
Tapping
either of the paddle shifters
shifts the gear up or down, but does
not cancel the cruise control. For
more information on driving with
paddle shif ters, see page . 156
Cruise Control
Canceling Cruise Control Resuming the Set Speed
Features
129
CRUISE BUTTON
CANCEL
BUTTON
Page 150 of 258

Apply the parking brake.
In cold weather, turn off all
electrical accessories to reduce
the drain on the battery. Without
touching the accelerator
pedal, turn the ignition key to the
START (III) position. Do not hold
the key in the START (III)
position for more than 15 seconds
at a time. If the engine does not
start right away, pause for at least
10 seconds before trying again.
Make sure the shift lever is in
Park. Press on the brake pedal.
Press
the clutch pedal down all the
way. The START (III) position
does not function unless the clutch
pedal is pressed.
If the engine does not start within
15 seconds, or starts but stalls
right away, repeat step 4 with the
accelerator pedal pressed halfway
down. If the engine starts, release
pressu re on the accelerator pedal
so the engine does not race. If
the engine fails to start, press
the accelerator pedal all the way
down, and hold it there while
starting to clear flooding. If the
engine still does not start, return
to step 5.
1.
2.
3. 4.
5.6.
Manual
transmission:
Automatic transmission:
Starting theEngine
148
The immobilizer system protects your
vehicle f rom thef t. If an improperly-
coded key (or other device) is used, the
engine’s f uel system is disabled. For
more inf ormation, see page . The engine is harder to start in cold
weather. Also, the thinner air f ound at
altitudes above 8,000 f eet (2,400
meters) adds to this problem.
76
Page 151 of 258

Come to a full stop before you shift
into reverse. You can damage the
transmission by trying to shif t 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.’’
The manual transmission is
synchronized in all f orward gears f or
smooth operation. It has a lockout so
you cannot shift directly from fifth to
reverse. When shif ting up or down,
make sure you push the clutch pedal
down all the way, shift to the next
gear, and let the pedal up gradually.
When you are not shif ting, do not
rest your f oot on the clutch pedal.
This can cause the clutch to wear out
f aster. When slowing down, you can get
extra braking f rom 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. Bef ore downshif ting,
make sure the engine speed will not
go into the tachometer’s red zone in
the lower gear.
Manual T ransmission
Driving
149
Rapid slowing or speeding-up
can cause loss of control on
slippery surfaces. If you crash,
you can be injured.
Use extra care when driving on
slippery surfaces.
Page 156 of 258

µ
µ To shift into the S
position, press the release button on
the front of the shift lever, and move
the lever to S. This position is similar
to D, except only gears from first to
fourth are selected. S position keep
the transmission from cycling
between fourth and fifth gears in
stop-and-go driving.
To
shift from second to
first, press the release button on the
front of the shift lever. This position
locks the transmission in first gear.
By upshifting and downshifting
through 1, 2, D , and D, you can
operate the transmission much like a
manual transmission without a
clutch pedal.
With the shift lever in D or S, you
canalsouse thepaddleshiftersto
shift the transmission up or down.
With the paddle shifters, you can
operate the transmission much like a
manual transmission without a
clutch pedal. For more inf ormation
of driving with the paddle shif ters,
see page . If you exceed the maximum speed
f or the gear you are in, the engine
speed will enter into the tachometer’s
red zone. If this occurs, you may f eel
the engine cut in and out. This is
caused by a limiter in the engine’s
computer controls. The engine will
run normally when you reduce the
rpm below the red zone.
156
3
All models except Sport On Sport model
S position (S)
First (1) Engine Speed L imiter
Automatic Transmission
154
Page 167 of 258

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 .166
....................
Maintenance Minder .167
....................
Maintenance Record .174
..............................
Fluid Locations .176
........................
Adding Engine Oil .177
Changing the Engine Oil
....................................
and Filter .178
..............................
Engine Coolant .180
....................
Windshield Washers .182
.......................
Transmission Fluid .183
..........
Automatic Transmission .183
..............
Manual Transmission .184
................
Brake and Clutch Fluid .185
.............................................
Lights .186
................
Cleaning the Seat Belts .192
.....................................
Floor Mats .192
..............................
Audio Antenna .193
..................
Dust and Pollen Filter .194
.................................
Wiper Blades .194
...........................................
Wheels .197
...............................................
Tires .197
...................
Checking the Battery .203
.............................
Vehicle Storage .204
245
Maintenance
Maint enance
165
Page 178 of 258
Fluid Locations
176
ENGINE OIL
DIPSTICK
(Orange loop) ENGINE OIL
FILL CAPAUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
FLUID DIPSTICK (Yellow loop)BRAKE FLUID
(Black cap)
WASHER FLUID
(Blue cap) CLUTCH FLUID
(Manual
Transmission only)
(Gray cap)
RADIATOR CAP
ENGINE COOLANT
RESERVOIR
Page 187 of 258

Manual Transmission only
A low f luid level can indicate a leak
in the clutch system. Have this
system inspected as soon as possible. The f luid level should be between
theMINandMAXmarksontheside
of the reservoir. If it is not, add
brake f luid to bring it up to that level.
Use the same fluid specified for the
brake system.
Check the brake f luid level in the
reservoirs monthly.
Replace the brake f luid according to
the time recommendation in the
maintenance minder schedule.
Always use Honda Heavy Duty
Brake Fluid DOT 3. If it is not
available, you should use only DOT 3
or DOT 4 f luid, f rom a sealed
container, as a temporary
replacement.
Using any non-Honda brake f luid can
cause corrosion and decrease the lif e
of the system. Have the brake
system f lushed and ref illed with
Honda Heavy Duty Brake Fluid
DOT 3 as soon as possible.
Brake f luid marked DOT 5 is not
compatible with your vehicle’s
braking system and can cause
extensive damage.
The f luid level should be between
theMINandMAXmarksontheside
of the reservoir. If the level is at or
below the MIN mark, your brake
system needs attention. Have the
brake system inspected f or leaks or
worn brake pads/shoes.
Brake and Clutch Fluid
Brake Fluid
Clutch Fluid
Maint enance
185
MIN
MAX
MINMAX