2008 HONDA FIT battery

This section explains why it is
important to keep your vehicle well
maintained and how to f ollow basic
maintenance saf ety precautions.
If you have the skills and tools to
perf orm 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, and
instructions f or simple maintenance
tasks you may want to take care of
yourself .......................
Maintenance Saf ety .178
....................
Maintenance Minder .179
..............................
Fluid Locations .186
........................
Adding Engine Oil .187
Changing the Engine Oil
....................................
and Filter .188
..............................
Engine Coolant .190
....................
Windshield Washers .192
.......................
Transmission Fluid .193
Automatic Transmission .......................................
Fluid .193
....
Manual Transmission Fluid .194
................
Brake and Clutch Fluid .195
.............................................
Lights .196
................
Cleaning the Seat Belts .203
.....................................
Floor Mats .203
..............................
Audio Antenna .204
..................
DustandPollenFilter .205
.................................
Wiper Blades .205
...........................................
Wheels .208
...............................................
Tires .208
...................
Checking the Battery .214
.............................
Vehicle Storage .216
261
Maintenance
Maint enance
177
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To eliminate potential hazards, read
the instructions bef ore you begin,
and make sure you have the tools
and skills required.Make sure your vehicle is parked
on level ground, the parking brake
is set, and the engine is of f .
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. Do
not run the engine unless
instructed to do so.
All service items not detailed in this
section should be perf ormed by a
certif ied technician or other qualif ied
mechanic.
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.
Let the
engine and exhaust system cool
down bef ore touching any parts.
Maintenance Saf ety
Important Saf ety Precautions
Potential Vehicle HazardsCarbon Monoxide poison f rom
engine exhaust. Injury f rom moving parts.
Burns f rom hot parts.
178
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. 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.
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Mount tire chains on your tires when
required by driving conditions or
local laws. Install them only on the
f ront tires.
Because your vehicle has limited tire
clearance, mount only SAE Class ‘‘S’’
cable-type traction devices, with
rubber chain tensioners, on the f ront
tires. Use traction devices only when
required by driving conditions or
local laws. Make sure they are the
correct size f or your tires. Metal link-
type ‘‘chains’’ should not be used. Check the condition of the batterymonthlybylookingatthetest
indicator window. The label on the
battery explains the test indicator’s
colors. The test indicator window’s
location dif f ers according to the
battery manuf acturer.
When installing cables, f ollow the
manuf acturer’s instructions, and
mount them as tight as you can.
Make sure they are not contacting
the brake lines or suspension. Drive
slowly with them installed. If you
hear them coming into contact with
the body or chassis, stop and
investigate. Remove them as soon as
you begin driving on cleared roads.
Tires, Checking the Battery
Checking the BatteryT ire Chains
214
TEST INDICATOR WINDOW
Traction devices that are the wrong
size or improperly installed can
damage your vehicle’s brake lines,
suspension, body, and wheels. Stop
driving if they are hitting any part of
the vehicle.
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µ
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 uture corrosion.
If your vehicle’s battery is
disconnected, or goes dead, the
audio system may disable itself . The
nexttimeyouturnontheradio,you
will see ‘‘ENTER CODE’’ in the
f requency display. Use the preset
bars to enter the code (see page).
Battery posts,
terminals, and related accessories
contain lead and lead compounds.
If you need to connect the battery to
a charger, disconnect both cables to
prevent damaging your vehicle’s
electrical system. Always disconnect
the negative ( ) cable first, and
reconnect it last.
If your vehicle’s battery is
disconnected, or goes dead, the time
setting is lost. To reset the time, see
page .
If additional battery maintenance is
needed, see your dealer or a
qualif ied technician.
129
128
WARNING:
Wash your hands af ter handling.
Checking the Battery
Maint enance
215
The battery gives off explosive
hydrogen gas during normal
operation.
A spark or flame can cause the
battery to explode with enough
force to kill or seriously hurt you.
Wear protective clothing and a
face shield, or have a skilled
technician do the battery
maintenance.
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Cover the vehicle with a
‘‘breathable’’ cover, one made
f rom a porous material such as
cotton. Non-porous materials, such
as plastic sheeting, trap moisture,
which can damage the paint.
If possible, periodically run the
engine until it reaches f ull
operating temperature (the
cooling f ans cycle on and of f
twice). Pref erably, do this once a
month.
If you need to park your vehicle f or
an extended period (more than 1
month), there are several things you
should do to prepare it f or storage.
Proper preparation helps prevent
deterioration and makes it easier to
get your vehicle back on the road. If
possible, store your vehicle indoors.
Fill the f uel tank.
Wash and dry the exterior
completely.
Cleantheinterior.Makesurethe
carpeting, floor mats, etc., are
completely dry.
Leave the parking brake off. Put
the transmission in reverse
(manual) or Park (automatic).
Block the rear wheels. If the vehicle is to be stored f or a
longer period, it should be
supported on jackstands so the
tires are of f the ground.
Leave one window open slightly (if
the vehicle is being stored
indoors).
Disconnect the battery.
Support the f ront and rear wiper
blade arms with a f olded towel or
ragsotheydonottouchthe
windshield.
To minimize sticking, apply a
silicone spray lubricant to all door
and tailgate seals. Also, apply a
vehiclebodywaxtothepainted
surfaces that mate with the door
and tailgate seals.
Vehicle Storage
216
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When you turn the ignition switch to
the START (III) position, you do not
hear the normal noise of the engine
trying to start. You may hear a
clicking sound, a series of clicks, or
nothing at all.
Check these things:Check the transmission interlock.
If you have a manual transmission,
the clutch pedal must be pushed
all the way to the f loor or the
starter will not operate. With an
automatic transmission, it must be
in Park or neutral.
Turn the ignition switch to the ON
(II) position. Turn on the
headlights, and check their
brightness. If the headlights are
very dim or do not come on at all,
the battery is discharged. See on page .
You can hear the starter motor
operating normally, or the starter
motor sounds like it is spinning
f aster than normal, but the engine
does not start up and run.
You hear nothing, or almost
nothing. The engine’s starter
motor does not operate at all, or
operates very slowly.
Diagnosing why the engine won’t
start f alls into two areas, depending
on what you hear when you turn the
ignition switch to the START (III)
position:
Make sure the wire support ring is
ontheoutersideof thetirevalve
as shown.
3.
226
Changing a Flat Tire, If the Engine Won’t Start
Nothing Happens or the Starter
Motor Operates Very Slowly
Jump Starting
If the Engine Won’t Start
224
WIRE SUPPORT RING
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Turn the ignition switch to the
START (III) position. If the
headlights do not dim, check the
condition of the f uses. If the f uses
areOK,thereisprobably
something wrong with the
electrical circuit for the ignition
switch or starter motor. You will
need a qualif ied technician to
determine the problem. Seeon page .
If the headlights dim noticeably or
go out when you try to start the
engine, either the battery is
discharged or the connections are
corroded. Check the condition of the
battery and terminal connections
(see page ). You can then try
jump starting the vehicle from a
booster battery (see page ). In this case, the starter motor’s
speed sounds normal, or even f aster
than normal, when you turn the
ignition switch to the START (III)
position, but the engine does not run.
Are you using the proper starting
procedure? Ref er to on page .
Are you using a properly coded
key? An improperly coded key will
cause the immobilizer system
indicator in the instrument panel
to blink rapidly (see page ). Do you have f uel? Check the f uel
gauge; the low f uel indicator may
not be working.
There may be an electrical
problem, such as no power to the
f uel pump. Check all the f uses
(see page ).
If youfindnothingwrong,youwill
need a qualif ied technician to f ind
the problem. See on page .
154 77
238
214 226 233
238
If theEngineWon’tStart
Emergency T owing T he Starter Operates Normally
Starting the
Engine Emergency
Towing
T aking Care of t he Unexpect ed
225
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Although this seems like a simple
procedure, you should take several
precautions.
You cannot start your vehicle with an
automatic transmission by pushing
or pulling it.The numbers in the illustration show
you the order to connect the jumper
cables.
Open the hood, and check the
physical condition of the battery.
In very cold weather, check the
condition of the electrolyte. If it
seems slushy or f rozen, do not try
jump starting until it thaws.
Turn of f all the electrical
accessories: heater, A/C (if
equipped), audio system, lights,
etc. Put the transmission in neutral
(manual) or Park (automatic), and
set the parking brake.
1.
2.To Jump Start Your Vehicle:
Jump Starting
226
BOOSTER BATTERY
A battery can explode if you do
not follow the correct procedure,
seriously injuring anyone
nearby.
Keep all sparks, open flames,
and smoking materials away
from the battery.
If a battery sits in extreme cold, the
electrolyte inside can f reeze.
Attempting to jump start with a f rozen
battery can cause it to rupture.
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