2010 HONDA FIT engine

Break-in Period
Help assure your vehicle's future
reliability and performance by paying
extra attention to how you drive
during the first 600 miles (1,000 km).
During this period:● Avoid full-throttle starts and rapidacceleration.
● Avoid hard braking for the first 200
miles (300 km).
● Do not change the oil until the
scheduled maintenance time.
You should also follow these
recommendations with an
overhauled or exchanged engine, or
when the brakes are replaced. Fuel Recommendation
Your vehicle is designed to operate
on unleaded gasoline with a pump
octane number of 87 or higher. Use of
a lower octane gasoline can cause a
persistent, heavy metallic rapping
noise that can lead to engine damage.
We recommend using quality
gasolines containing detergent
additives that help prevent fuel
system and engine deposits.
In addition, in order to maintain good
performance, fuel economy, and
emissions control, we strongly
recommend, in areas where it is
available, the use of gasoline that
does NOT contain manganese-based
fuel additives such as MMT.
Use of gasoline with these additives
may adversely affect performance,
and cause the malfunction indicator
lamp on your instrument panel to
come on. If this happens, contact your
authorized dealer for service. Some gasoline today is blended with
oxygenates such as ethanol or
MTBE. Your vehicle is designed to
operate on oxygenated gasoline
containing up to 10% ethanol by
volume and up to 15% MTBE by
volume. Do not use gasoline
containing methanol.
If you notice any undesirable
operating symptoms, try another
service station or switch to another
brand of gasoline.
For further important fuel-related
information for your vehicle, or
information on gasoline that does not
contain MMT, visit Owner Link at
owners.honda.com. In Canada, visit
www.honda. cafor additoin
information on gasoine.
Break-in Period, Fuel Recommendation
198
Table of Contents

Gasoline is highly flammable
and explosive. You can be
burned or seriously injured
when handling fuel.● Stop the engine, and keep
heat, sparks, and flameaway.
● Handle fuel only outdoors.
● Wipe up spills immediately.
5. Screw the fuel fill cap back on until it clicks at least once. If you do not
properly tighten the cap, the
malfunction indicator lamp may
come on (see page 304). You will
also see a ‘‘CHECK FUEL CAP ’’
message on the informationdisplay.
6. Push the fuel fill door closed until it latches. Opening and Closing the Hood
1. Park the vehicle, and set the
parking brake. Pull the hood
release handle under the lower left
corner of the dashboard. The hood
will pop up slightly.
2. Put your fingers under the frontedge of the hood near the center.
Slide your hand to the left until
you feel the hood latch handle.
Push this handle up to release it.
Lift up the hood.
If the hood latch handle moves
stiffly, or if you can open the hood
without lifting the handle, the
mechanism should be cleaned andlubricated.
HOOD RELEASE HANDLELATCH
Service Station Procedures
200
Table of Contents

3. Holding the grip, pull the supportrod out of its clip. Insert the end
into the designated hole in thehood.
To close the hood, lift it up slightly to
remove the support rod from the
hole. Put the support rod back into
its holding clip. Lower the hood to
about a foot (30 cm) above the
fender, then let it drop. Make sure it
is securely latched. Oil Check
Wait a few minutes after turning the
engine off before you check the oil.
1. Remove the dipstick (orange loop).
2. Wipe off the dipstick with a clean
cloth or paper towel.
3. Insert the dipstick all the way back into its hole.
4. Remove the dipstick again, andcheck the level. It should be
between the upper and lowermarks.
If it is near or below the lower mark,see Adding Engine Oil on page 253.
SUPPORT ROD
GRIP CLIP
DIPSTICK
UPPER MARK
LOWER MARK
Service Station Procedures
201
Before Driving
Table of Contents

Engine Coolant Check
Look at the coolant level in the
radiator reserve tank. Make sure it is
between the MAX and MIN lines. If
it is below the MIN line, seeAdding
Engine Coolant on page 256 for
information on adding the propercoolant. Refer to
Owner's Maintenance
Checks on page 250 for information
about checking other items on yourvehicle.
RESERVE TANK
MAX
MIN
Service Station Procedures
202
Table of Contents

Fuel Economy Factors
The following factors can lower your
vehicle's fuel economy:● Aggressive driving (hard
acceleration and braking)
● Excessive idling, accelerating and
braking in stop-and-go traffic
● Cold engine operation (engines
are more efficient when warmedup)
● Driving with a heavy load or the air
conditioner running
● Improperly inflated tires Improving Fuel Economy
Vehicle Maintenance
A properly maintained vehicle
maximizes fuel economy. Poor
maintenance can significantly reduce
fuel economy. Always maintain your
vehicle according to the maintenance
messages displayed on the
information display (see
Owner's
Maintenance Checks on page 250).
For example:
● Use the recommended viscosity
motor oil, displaying the API
Certification Seal (see page253).
● Maintain proper tire inflation －
An under-inflated tire increases‘‘ rolling resistance, ’’which reduces
fuel economy.
● Avoid carrying excess weight in
your vehicle －It puts a heavier
load on the engine, increasing fuel consumption. ●
Keep your vehicle clean －In
particular, a build-up of snow or
mud on your vehicle's underside
adds weight and rolling resistance.
Frequent cleaning helps your fueleconomy.
Drive Efficiently● Drive moderately －Rapid
acceleration, abrupt cornering, and
hard braking increase fuelconsumption.
● Observe the speed limit －
Aerodynamic drag has a big effect
on fuel mileage at speeds above 45
mph (75 km/h). Reduce your
speed and you reduce the drag.
Trailers, car top carriers, roof
racks and bike racks are also big
contributors to increased drag.
● Always drive in the highest gearpossible －If your vehicle has a
manual transmission, you can
boost your fuel economy by up
shifting as early as possible.
Fuel Economy
204
Table of Contents

●Avoid excessive idling －Idling
results in 0 miles per gallon.
● Minimize the use of the air
conditioning system －The A/C
puts an extra load on the engine
which makes it use more fuel. Use
the fresh-air ventilation whenpossible.
● Plan and combine trips －
Combine several short trips into
one. A warmed-up engine is more
fuel efficient than a cold one.
Calculating Fuel Economy
Measuring Techniques
Direct calculation is the
recommended source of information
about your actual fuel economy.
Using frequency of fill-ups or taking
fuel gauge readings are NOT
accurate measures of fuel economy.
Fuel economy may improve over the
first several thousand miles.
Checking Your Fuel Economy
1) Fill the fuel tank until the nozzle automatically clicks off.
2) Reset trip counter to zero.
3) Record the total gallons (liters) needed to refill.
4) Follow one of the simple calculations above.
Miles driven Gallons
of fuel Miles perGallon
100 Liter Kilometers L per
100 km
Fuel Economy
205
Before Driving
Table of Contents

This section gives you tips on
starting the engine under various
conditions, and how to operate the
manual and automatic transmissions.
It also includes important information
on parking your vehicle, the braking
system, the vehicle stability assist(VSA
®), and the tire pressure
monitoring system (TPMS).
Driving Guidelines ......................214
Preparing to Drive ......................
215
Starting the Engine .....................
216
Manual Transmission .................
217
Automatic Transmission .............
219
Driving with the Paddle Shifters
(Sport only) .............................
224
Parking .......................................
229
Braking System ..........................
230
Anti-lock Brakes (ABS) ...............
231
Vehicle Stability Assist (VSA
®),
aka Electronic Stability Control
(ESC), System .....................
233
Tire Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS) ...................................
235
Towing a Trailer ..........................
238
Towing Your Vehicle Behind a
Motorhome .............................
238
Driving
213
Driving

You should do the following checks
and adjustments before you drive
your vehicle.
1. Make sure all windows, mirrors,and outside lights are clean and
unobstructed. Remove frost, snow,
or ice.
2. Check that the hood is fully closed.
3. Visually check the tires. If a tire looks low, use a gauge to check its
pressure (see page 273).
4. Check that any items you may be carrying are stored properly or
fastened down securely. 5. Check the seat adjustment (see
page 93).
6. Check the adjustment of the inside and outside mirrors (see page101).
7. Check the steering wheel adjustment (see page 77).
8. Make sure the doors and the tailgate are securely closed andlocked.
9. Fasten your seat belt. Check that your passengers have fastened
their seat belts (see page 14).
10. When you start the engine, check the gauges and indicators in the
instrument panel (see page 59).
Preparing to Drive
215
Driving
Table of Contents