1995 Del Sol Online Reference Owner's Manual Contents

1995 Del Sol Online Reference Owner's Manual Use these links (and links throughout this manual) to navigate through this reference. For a printed owner's manual, click on authorized manuals or go to www.helminc.com. Contents

Introduction ......................................................................................................................................... i A Few Words About Safety ................................................................................................................. ii

Driver and Passenger Safety ..............................................................................................................3 Proper use and care of your vehicle's seat belts, and Supplemental Restraint System. Instruments and Controls ................................................................................................................. 29Instrument panel indicator and gauge, and how to use dashboard and steering column controls. Comfort and Convenience Features ................................................................................................ 67How to operate the climate control system, the audio system, and other convenience features. Before Driving.................................................................................................................................... 89What gasoline to use, how to break-in your new vehicle, and how to load luggage and other cargo. Driving ................................................................................................................................................ 99The proper way to start the engine, shift the transmission, and park, plus towing a trailer. Maintenance ..................................................................................................................................... 115The Maintenance Schedule shows you when you need to take your vehicle to the dealer. Appearance Care.............................................................................................................................. 165Tips on cleaning and protecting your vehicle. Things to look for if your vehicle ever needs body repairs. Taking Care of the Unexpected ...................................................................................................... 173This section covers several problems motorists sometimes experience, and how to handle them. Technical Information..................................................................................................................... 195ID numbers, dimensions, capacities, and technical information. Warranty and Customer Relations (U.S. and Canada) ................................................................ 207A summary of the warranties covering your new Acura, and how to contact us. Authorized Manuals (U.S. only)...................................................................................................... 213How to order manuals and other technical literature. Index...................................................................................................................................................... I

Gas Station InformationA summary of information you need when you pull up to the fuel pump.

Owner's Identification Form

Introduction

Congratulations ! Your selection of a 1995 Honda Civic del Sol was a wise investment. It will give you years of drivingpleasure.

To enhance the enjoyment of your new car, take time to study this manual. In it, you will learn about your car's manyconveniences and useful features. Following the service interval and maintenance recommendations will help keepyour driving trouble-free while preserving your investment.

Keep this owner's manual in your car so you can refer to it at any time. Please make sure the manual stays with the carif you sell it. The next owner will find it just as helpful.

Several warranties protect your Honda. We suggest you read the warranty booklets carefully to fully understand thecoverages and the responsibilities of ownership.

When your car needs scheduled maintenance, keep in mind that your Honda dealer's service staff is specially-trainedin the service and maintenance of the many systems unique to your Honda. Your Honda dealer is dedicated to yoursatisfaction and will be pleased to answer any questions and concerns.

Safety Messages

Your safety and the safety of others is very important. We have providedmany important safety messages in this manual and on the vehicle. Pleaseread these messages carefully.

A safety message alerts you to potential hazards that could hurt you orothers. Each safety message is preceded by a safety alert symbol andone of three words, DANGER, WARNING or CAUTION.These mean:

You WILL be KILLED orSERIOUSLY HURT if you don'tfollow instructions.

You CAN be KILLED orSERIOUSLY HURT if you don'tfollow instructions.

You CAN be HURT if you don'tfollow instructions.

Each safety message tells you what the hazard is, what can happen and whatyou can do to avoid or reduce injury.

You will also see another importantsymbol:

Your Honda or other property can bedamaged if you don't follow instruc-tions.

The purpose of these messages is tohelp prevent damage to your car,other property, or the environment.

NOTICE

Rajesh

Driver and Passenger Safety

This section gives you importantinformation about occupant protec-tion. It shows how to use seat beltsproperly. It explains the Supple-mental Restraint System. And itgives useful information about howto protect infants and children inyour car.

Your Occupant Protection System.. 4The Seat Belt System

and How It Works...................... 5Why Wear Seat Belts.................... 5Important Safety Reminders........ 5Seat Belt System Components..... 6Lap/Shoulder Belt......................... 6Wearing Seat Belts Properly........ 6Wearing a Lap/Shoulder Belt...... 7Advice for Pregnant Women........ 8Seat Belt Maintenance.................. 8

Supplemental Restraint System....... 9What Happens In a Crash........... 10Important Facts About

Airbags...................................... 11How the Driver's Airbag

Works........................................ 12How the Passenger's Airbag

Works........................................ 13How the SRS Indicator Light

Works........................................ 14System Service............................. 14System Service Precautions....... 15

Additional Safety Information........ 16Seat-back Position........................ 16Door Locks................................... 16

Storing Cargo Safely................... 17Driving with Pets......................... 17

Child Safety...................................... 18Where Should Children Sit?....... 18Important Safety Reminders...... 19General Guidelinesfor Restraining Children

Under 18 kg (40 Ibs)............... 19Restrainingan Infant Who Weighs

Less Than 9 kg (20 Ibs).......... 20Restraininga Child Who Weighs Between

9 and 18 kg (20 and 40 Ibs)..... 20Restraining a Child Who Weighs

Over 18 kg (40 Ibs).................... 21Using a Seat Belt

Locking Clip............................. 22Using Child Restraints

with Tethers............................. 23Storing a Child Seat..................... 24

Alcohol and Drugs........................... 25Carbon Monoxide Hazard.............. 26Reporting Safety Defects

(U.S. Cars).................................... 27Safety Labels.................................... 28


Your Occupant Protection System

Your Honda is equipped with seatbelts and other features that worktogether to protect you and yourpassenger during a crash.

Seat belts are the most importantpart of your occupant protectionsystem. When worn properly, seatbelts can reduce the chance ofserious injury or death in a crash.

For added protection during a severefrontal collision, your del Sol has aSupplemental Restraint System(SRS) with a driver's airbag and apassenger's airbag.

Two indicator lights are also part ofyour safety system. One reminds youto make sure you and yourpassenger wear your seat belts. Theother alerts you to a possibleproblem with your supplementalrestraint system (see page 14).

The seats, head restraints, and doorlocks also play a role in occupantsafety. For example, reclining theseat-back can decrease the effec-tiveness of your seat belt. Headrestraints can help protect your neckand head, especially during rear-endimpacts. Door locks help keep yourdoors from being accidentallyopened during a crash.

To get the maximum protection fromyour occupant protection system,check the following before you driveaway:

Everyone in the car is wearing aseat belt properly (see page 6 ) .A child is properly secured in achild safety seat (see page 17).Both doors are closed and locked(see page 16).Seat-backs are upright (see page16).

There are no loose items thatcould be thrown around and hurtsomeone during a crash or suddenstop (see page 17).

By following these guidelines, youcan reduce injuries to yourself andyour passenger in many crashsituations. Remember, however, thatno safety system can prevent allinjuries or deaths that can occur insevere crashes.


The Seat Belt System and How It Works

Why Wear Seat BeltsWearing seat belts, and wearingthem properly, is fundamental toyour safety and the safety of yourpassenger.

During a crash or emergency stop,seat belts can help keep you frombeing thrown against the inside ofthe car, against your passenger, orout of the car.

Of course, seat belts cannot com-pletely protect you in every crash.But, in most cases, seat belts reduceyour chance of serious injury. Theycan even save your life. That is whymany states and all Canadian pro-vinces require you to wear seat belts.

Important Safety RemindersSeat belts are designed for adultsand larger children. Children mustbe properly restrained in child safetyseats (see page 18).

A pregnant woman needs to wear aseat belt to protect herself and herunborn child (see page 8).

Two people should never use thesame seat belt. If they do, they couldbe very seriously injured in a crash.

Do not place the shoulder portion ofa lap/shoulder belt under your armor behind your back. This couldincrease the chance of seriousinjuries in a crash.

Do not put shoulder belt pads orother accessories on seat belts. Theycan reduce the effectiveness of thebelts and increase the chance ofinjury.


Not wearing a seat beltincreases the chance of beingkilled or seriously hurt in acrash.

Be sure you and yourpassenger always wear seatbelts and wear them properly.

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Seat Belt System ComponentsYour Honda has lap/shoulder seatbelts for the driver and the passen-ger.

Your seat belt system also includes alight on the instrument panel toremind you to fasten your seat belt,and to make sure your passengerfastens his. This light comes onwhen you turn on the ignition if youhave not fastened your seat belt. Abeeper also sounds for severalseconds (see page 32).

The following pages cover moreabout the seat belt components andhow they work.

Lap/Shoulder Belt

This style of seat belt has a singlebelt that goes over your shoulder,across your chest, and across yourhips.Each lap/shoulder belt has anemergency locking retractor. Innormal driving, the retractor lets youmove freely in your seat while itkeeps some tension on the belt.During a collision or sudden stop,the retractor automatically locks thebelt to help restrain your body.

Wearing Seat Belts ProperlyYou can increase the effectiveness ofyour seat belts if you take a littletime to read the following pages andmake sure you know how to wearseat belts properly.


Not wearing a seat belt properlyincreases the chance of seriousinjury or death in a crash.


LATCHPLATE

SHOULDERPORTION

LAPPORTION

BUCKLE

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Wearing a Lap/Shoulder Belt

Before putting on the seat belt, movethe driver's seat as far back as ispractical while still allowing you tomaintain full control of the vehicle.Make sure the seat-back is upright(see page 52). The passengershould move the seat as far back aspossible.

1. Pull the latch plate across yourbody and insert it into the buckle.Tug on the belt to make sure the

latch is securely locked.

2. Check that the belt is not twisted.

3. Position the lap portion of the beltas low as possible across your hips,not across your stomach. This letsyour strong pelvic bones take theforce of a crash.

4. Pull up on the shoulder part of thebelt to remove any slack. Makesure the belt goes over yourcollarbone and across your chest.

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To unlatch the seat belt, push thered PRESS button on the buckle.Guide the belt across your body tothe door pillar. If the belt doesn'tretract easily, pull it out and checkfor twists or kinks.

Advice for Pregnant Women

Protecting the mother is the bestway to protect her unborn child.Therefore, a pregnant woman shouldwear a properly-positioned seat beltwhenever she drives or rides in a car.

When using the seat belt, rememberto keep the lap portion as low aspossible (see page 7) .

Each time you have a check-up, askyour doctor if it's okay for you todrive and how you should position alap/shoulder seat belt.

Seat Belt MaintenanceFor safety, you should check thecondition of your seat belts regularly.

Pull out each belt fully and look forfrays, cuts, burns, and wear. Checkthat the latches work smoothly andthe lap/shoulder belts retract easily.Any belt not in good condition or notworking properly should be replaced.

If a seat belt is worn during a crash,have your dealer replace the belt andinspect the anchors for damage.

For information on how to clean yourseat belts, see page 169.


Supplemental Restraint System

Your car is equipped with aSupplemental Restraint System(SRS) to help protect the head andchest of the driver and passengerduring a severe frontal collision.

This system does not replace your seatbelts. It supplements, or adds to, theprotection offered by seat belts andother occupant protection features.

The main components in your SRSare:

One airbag in the steering wheelfor the driver and another in thedashboard for the passenger.

Sensors that can detect a severefrontal collision.

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Not wearing a seat beltincreases the chance of seriousinjury or death in a crash, evenif you have an airbag.


INDICATOR PASSENGER'SAIRBAG

DRIVER'SAIRBAG

CONTROLUNIT/SENSORS

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A sophisticated electronic systemthat continually monitors thecontrol unit (including thesensors), airbag activators, and allrelated wiring when the ignition isON (II).

An indicator light on theinstrument panel to alert you to apossible problem with the system.

Emergency backup power in caseyour car's electrical system isdisconnected in a crash.

What Happens In a CrashIf you ever have a severe frontalcollision, the sensors will detectrapid deceleration and signal thecontrol unit to instantly inflate theairbags.

During a crash, your seat belts willhelp to restrain your lower body andtorso. The airbags will provide acushion to absorb crash energy andhelp keep the head and chest of thedriver and passenger from strikingthe interior of the car.

After inflating, the airbags willimmediately deflate. The entireprocess, from detection to deflation,takes a fraction of a second. Thisprocess occurs so quickly that youmay not hear the loud noise createdby the airbag inflators, or realizewhat has happened.

After the crash, you may see whatlooks like smoke. This is actuallypowder from the airbag's surface.People with respiratory problemsmay experience some temporarydiscomfort from the chemicals usedby the airbag's activators.



Important Facts About AirbagsAirbags inflate only when needed; ina severe frontal collision. A severecollision would be similar to a crashinto a parked car at 25 mph (40km/h). Airbags will not inflate in amoderate frontal collision, or duringa rear impact, side impact, or rollover— even if the impact is severe.

Airbags inflate and deflate only once.They cannot protect you during anyadditional impacts that can occurduring a crash sequence.

Injuries, including fatal injuries, canoccur in a severe collision, even ifseat belts are worn properly and theairbags inflate. No safety system canprovide complete protection in asevere crash.

Just from viewing the vehicledamage after a crash, it is verydifficult to accurately determine ifthe airbags should or should nothave inflated. In some cases wherethe airbag did not inflate, extensivevisible damage indicated that the carabsorbed much of the crash energy,and the airbags were not needed. Inother cases, a severe jolt, such as animpact to the undercarriage, may notcause extensive body damage butcause the airbags to inflate.


Frontal collision range


How the Driver's Airbag Works

If you ever have a severe frontalcollision, your airbag will instantlyinflate to help protect your head andchest.

To do its job, the airbag inflates withconsiderable force. So, while it canreduce serious injuries and even saveyour life, the airbag might causesome facial abrasions or otherinjuries. To reduce the possibility ofinjury, you should always sit back asfar from the steering wheel as ispractical while still maintaining fullvehicle control.

After the bag completely inflates, itimmediately starts deflating so itwon't interfere with your visibility,ability to steer, or ability to operateother controls. The total time forinflation and deflation takes afraction of a second. You may noteven be aware that the airbag hasbeen fully inflated.



The driver's airbag is stored in thecenter of the steering wheel. Foryour safety, do not attach any itemsto the steering wheel. They couldinterfere with the proper operationof the airbag. Or, if the airbaginflates, they could be propelledinside the car and hurt someone.

How the Passenger's AirbagWorks

If you ever have a severe frontalcollision, the passenger's airbag willinflate at the same time as the driver'sairbag.

This airbag is quite large and inflateswith considerable force. It canseriously hurt a passenger who is notin the proper position and wearingthe seat belt properly. The passengershould move the seat as far back aspractical and sit well back in the seat.

We strongly recommend that you donot put an infant seat in thepassenger's seat. If the airbaginflates, it can hit the infant seat withgreat force. The infant seat can bedislodged or struck with enoughforce to cause very serious injury tothe infant.

When a toddler seat is used in thepassenger's seat, the vehicle seatshould be moved as far back aspossible. If the passenger's baginflates, it could seriously hurt atoddler who is not in the properposition or properly restrained.


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The passenger's airbag is storednear the top of the dashboard, undera lid marked SRS. Do not place anyobjects on top of this lid. If the airbaginflates, those objects can bepropelled inside the car and possiblyhurt someone.

How the SRS IndicatorLight Works

The purpose of the SRS light on yourinstrument panel is to alert you of apotential problem with your supple-mental restraint system.

Have the system checked if:

The light does not come on whenyou turn the ignition ON (II).

The light stays on after the enginestarts.

The light comes on or flasheswhile you are driving.

System ServiceYour supplemental restraint systemis virtually maintenance-free. Thereare no parts you can safely service.You must have the system servicedby an authorized Honda dealer:

If your airbags ever inflate, theairbags and control unit must bereplaced. Do not try to remove ordiscard the airbags by yourself.This must be done by a Hondadealer.

If the SRS indicator light alertsyou of a problem. Have thesupplemental restraint systemchecked as soon as possible.Otherwise, your airbags might notinflate when you need them.

When the car is ten years old.Have the dealer inspect thesystem. The production date is onthe driver's doorjamb for yourconvenience.


SRS


System Service PrecautionsDo not modify your steering wheelor any other part of the supplementalrestraint system. Modifications couldmake the system ineffective.

Do not tamper with the system'scomponents or wiring. This couldcause the airbags to inflate inadver-tently, possibly injuring someonevery seriously.

Tell anyone who works on your carthat you have a supplementalrestraint system. Failure to followthe procedures and precautions inthe official Honda service manualcould result in personal injury ordamage to the system.

Scrapping an entire car that hasuninflated airbags can be dangerous.Get assistance from a Honda dealerif your car must be scrapped.

If you sell your car, please be sure totell the new owner that the car has asupplemental restraint system. Alertthem to the information and precau-tions in this part of the owner'smanual.


Additional Safety Information

The seat belts and airbags are obvi-ously important parts of your occu-pant protection system.

In addition, you should know thatsitting upright, locking the doors,and stowing things properly can alsoincrease your safety and possiblyeven save your life.

Seat-back PositionThe seat-backs should be in anupright position for you and yourpassenger to get the most protectionfrom the seat belts.

If you recline a seat-back, you reducethe protective capability of your seatbelt. The farther a seat-back isreclined, the greater the risk thatyou will slide under the belt in asevere crash and be very seriouslyinjured.

For information on how to adjust theseat-back, see page 52.

Door LocksIt is not safe to leave your car doorsunlocked. A passenger, especially achild, could open a door andaccidentally fall out. Also, there is agreater chance of being thrown outof the car during a crash when thedoors are not locked.


Additional Safety Information

Storing Cargo SafelyBefore you drive, make sure youfirst securely store or tie down anyitems that could be thrown aroundthe car and hurt someone, orinterfere with your ability to operatethe controls.

Be sure to keep compartment doorsclosed when the car is moving. If apassenger hits the door of an openglove box, for example, he couldinjure his knees.

For information on loading cargo,see page 98.

Driving with PetsLoose pets can be a hazard while youare driving. An unrestrained pet caninterfere with your ability to drivethe car. In a crash or sudden stop,loose pets or cages can be thrownaround inside the car and hurt you. Itis also for their safety that petsshould be properly restrained in yourcar.

The recommended way to restrain amedium-sized or larger dog is with aspecial traveling harness. Thisharness can be secured to the seatwith a seat belt. Travel harnesses areavailable at pet stores.

A small dog, cat, or other smallanimal will be safest in a pet carrierwith rigid sides. Choose a style thatallows you to secure it to the car'sseat by routing a seat belt throughthe carrier's handle.

For further information, contact yourveterinarian or local animal protec-tion society.


Child Safety

Children depend on adults to protectthem. To help make sure we do,every state and Canadian provincehas laws requiring infants and youngchildren to be properly restrainedwhenever they ride in a car.

Where Should Children Sit?We strongly recommend that you donot put an infant seat in thepassenger's seat. If the airbaginflates, it can hit the infant seat withgreat force. The infant seat can bedislodged or struck with enoughforce to cause very serious injury tothe infant.

We recommend that you secure yourchild's toddler seat in the passenger'sseat with the car's lap/shoulder beltand a locking clip (see page 22). Thevehicle seat should be moved as farback as possible. If the passenger'sbag inflates, it could seriously hurt atoddler who is not in the properposition or properly restrained.

We also recommend that a child whohas outgrown a toddler seat beprotected by properly wearing thelap/shoulder belt (see page 7).You should move the seat as farback as practical and have the childsit well back in the seat.


An infant or child who is notproperly restrained can be killedor seriously injured in a crash.

Be sure any child too small forseat belts is properly secured ina child restraint.

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Child Safety

Important Safety RemindersNever hold a baby or child on yourlap when riding in a car. If you arewearing your seat belt, the violentforces created during a crash willtear the child from your arms. Thechild could be seriously hurt or killed.

If you are holding a child and notwearing a seat belt in a crash, youcould crush the child against the car'sinterior.

Never put your seat belt overyourself and a child. During a crash,the belt could press deep into thechild, causing serious internalinjuries.

Two children should never use thesame seat belt. If they do, they couldbe very seriously injured in a crash.

For their safety, do not leavechildren alone in your car withoutadult supervision.

General Guidelines forRestraining Children Under 18kg (40 Ibs)Use an approved child seat. The seatmust meet Federal Motor VehicleSafety Standard 213 (FMVSS-213) orCanadian Motor Vehicle SafetyStandards. Look for the manufac-turer's statement of compliance onthe box and seat.

Use a seat of the right size. Make surethe seat fits your child. Check theseat manufacturer's instructions andlabels for height and weight limits.

Secure the child seat to the car. Al lapproved child seats are designed tobe secured to the car seat by the lapbelt portion of a lap/shoulder belt. Achild whose seat is not properlysecured to the car can beendangered in a crash.

To properly route a seat belt througha child seat, follow the seat maker'sinstructions. You must use a lockingclip with a lap/shoulder belt (seepage 22).

Secure the child in the child seat. Makesure the infant or child is firmlysecured to the child seat. Use thestraps provided, and carefully followthe manufacturer's instructions.


Child Safety

Restraining an Infant WhoWeighs Less Than 9 kg(20 Ibs)We strongly recommend that you donot put an infant seat in thepassenger's seat. If the airbaginflates, it can hit the infant seat withgreat force. The infant seat can bedislodged or struck with enoughforce to cause very serious injury tothe infant.

Until a child is large enough to besafely secured in a toddler seat, weurge you to use a different carwhenever you need to drive with aninfant.

Restraining a Child Who WeighsBetween 9 and 18 kg (20 and 40Ibs)

Toddler seats are designed forchildren who weigh between 9 and18 kg (20 and 40 Ibs).

We recommend that you secure yourchild's toddler seat in the passenger'sseat with the car's lap/shoulder beltand locking clip (see page 22 ). Movethe passenger's seat, as far back aspossible before installing the childseat. If the passenger's bag inflates,it could seriously hurt a toddler whois not in the proper position orproperly restrained.


Child Safety

Restraining a Child Who WeighsOver 18 kg (40 Ibs)We recommend that a child who hasoutgrown a toddler seat be protectedby properly wearing the lap/shoulder belt.

You should move the vehicle seat asfar back as practical and have thechild sit well back in the seat.

Put the seat belt on your child andcheck its fit. The shoulder beltshould fit over the collarbone andacross the chest. The lap belt shouldsit low on your child's hips, notacross the stomach.

If the shoulder belt crosses the neck,you should use a booster seat.

Several styles of booster seats areavailable. We recommend a designthat allows the child to use the car'slap/shoulder belt.

Whichever style you select, followthe booster seat manufacturer'sinstructions.


Child Safety

Using a Seat Belt Locking ClipAlways use a seat belt locking clipwhen you secure a child seat to yourcar with a lap/shoulder belt. Thishelps prevent the seat from shiftingposition or overturning,

A locking clip is usually includedwith the child seat. If you need a clip,contact the seat's manufacturer or astore that sells child restraints.

To install a locking clip, do thefollowing:

1. Place the child restraint in thedesired position. Route the lap/shoulder belt through the restraintaccording to the seat manufac-turer's instructions.

2. Insert the latch plate into thebuckle. Pull on the shoulder partof the belt to make sure there isno slack in the lap portion.

3. Tightly grasp the belt near thelatch plate. Pinch both parts of thebelt together so they won't slipthrough the latch plate. Unbucklethe seat belt.

4. Install the locking clip as shown.Position the clip as close aspossible to the latch plate.

5. Insert the latch plate into thebuckle. Push and pull on the childseat to verify that it is held firmlyin place. If it is not, repeat thesesteps until the restraint is secure.


Child Safety

Using Child Restraints withTethersYour Honda is equipped with anattachment point for a child restraintsystem that uses a top tether. Thetether attachment point is located onthe panel behind the passenger'sseat-back.

1. Adjust the passenger's seat fullyforward to make room behind theseat-back.

2. Remove the plug with a small flat-tipped screw driver or finger nailfile.

3. Install the tether hardware thatcame with the child seat.Tighten to:22 N-m (2.2 kg-m , 16 Ib-ft)

Make sure to route the tetherthrough the space between the headrestraint and seat.

If you are not sure how to install thebracket, have it installed by yourHonda dealer.

If you need an anchor plate andmounting hardware, you can obtainthem by writing to:

American Honda Motor Co., Inc.Consumer Affairs1919 Torrance Blvd.Torrance, CA 90501-2746


Child Safety

Canadian Cars

The anchor plate and mountinghardware for a top tether aresupplied with the car. Wheninstalling, make sure the toothedwasher is on the bottom of the bolt.

The supplied anchor plate isdesigned only for mounting a childrestraint. Do not use it for any otherpurpose.

Storing a Child SeatWhen you are not using a childrestraint, either remove it or makesure it is properly secured so itcannot be thrown around the carduring a crash.


TOOTHED WASHER

Alcohol and Drugs

Driving a car requires your full at-tention and alertness. Traffic condi-tions change rapidly. You must beable to react just as rapidly. Alcoholor drugs directly affect your alert-ness and ability to react. Even pre-scription and non-prescription medi-cines can have this effect.

There are laws that deal withdrunken driving. These laws definehow much alcohol it takes in yoursystem to be legally "drunk." How-ever, your judgment and reactiontime get worse with every drink —even the first one.

The safest thing you can do is neverdrink and drive. This can be done ifyou plan ahead. If you know you aregoing to be drinking, make plans toride with a friend who will not bedrinking.

What if you find that you've beendrinking and cannot get a ride from afriend? Find alternative transpor-tation. Call a taxi. Take a bus. Manycommunities have transportationservices devoted to shuttling peoplewho have been drinking.

If you have no choice but to drive,stop drinking and give yourself lotsof time to sober up. Time is the onlything that can make you sober.Things like coffee or a cold showerdon't speed up the process.

If you see friends trying to getbehind the wheel after drinking, stopthem. Drive them yourself orarrange other transportation. If youthink you are interfering, rememberthat your interference will keep themfrom sharing the road with you.


Carbon Monoxide Hazard

Your car's exhaust contains carbonmonoxide gas. You should have noproblem with carbon monoxideentering the car in normal driving ifyou maintain your car properly.Have the exhaust system inspectedfor leaks whenever:

The car is raised for an oil change.You notice a change in the soundof the exhaust.The car was in an accident thatmay have damaged the underside.

High levels of carbon monoxide cancollect rapidly in enclosed areas,such as a garage. Do not run theengine with the garage door closed.Even with the door open, run theengine only long enough to move thecar out of the garage.

With the trunk lid open, air flow canpull exhaust gas into your car'sinterior and create a hazardouscondition. If you must drive with thetrunk lid open, open all the windowsand set the heating and coolingsystem as follows.

If you must sit in your parked car,even in an unconfined area, with theengine running, adjust the heatingand cooling system as follows:

1. Select the Fresh Air mode.2. Select the mode.3. Turn the fan on high speed.4. Set the temperature control to a

comfortable setting.


Carbon monoxide gas is toxic.Breathing it can causeunconsciousness and can evenkill you.

Avoid any enclosed areas oractivities that expose you tocarbon monoxide.

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Reporting Safety Defects (U.S. Cars)

If you believe that your vehicle has adefect which could cause a crash orcould cause injury or death, youshould immediately inform theNational Highway Traffic SafetyAdministration (NHTSA) in additionto notifying American Honda MotorCo., Inc.

If NHTSA receives similar com-plaints, it may open an investigation,and if it finds that a safety defectexists in a group of vehicles, it mayorder a recall and remedy campaign.However, NHTSA cannot becomeinvolved in individual problemsbetween you, your dealer, orAmerican Honda Motor Co., Inc.

To contact NHTSA, you may eithercall the Auto Safety Hotline toll-freeat 1-800-424-9393 (or 366-0123 inWashington D.C. area) or write to:NHTSA, U.S. Department ofTransportation, Washington,D.C. 20590. You can also obtainother information about motorvehicle safety from the Hotline.


Safety Labels

These labels are in the locationsshown. They warn you of potentialhazards that could cause seriousinjury. Read these labels carefullyand don't remove them.

If a label comes off or becomes hardto read, contact your Honda dealerfor a replacement.


RADIATOR CAP

BATTERY

Instruments and Controls

This section gives information aboutthe controls and displays thatcontribute to the daily operation ofyour Honda. All the essentialcontrols are within easy reach.

Control Locations............................ 30Indicator Lights................................ 31Gauges.............................................. 36

Speedometer................................ 36Tachometer.................................. 36Odometer...................................... 36Trip Meter.................................... 36Fuel Gauge................................... 37Temperature Gauge.................... 37

Controls Near the SteeringWheel....................................... 38

Headlights.................................... 39Daytime Running Lights............. 39Instrument Panel Brightness..... 40Turn Signals................................. 40Windshield Wipers...................... 41Windshield Washers................... 41Auxiliary Lights........................... 42Hazard Warning........................... 42Rear Window Defogger............... 42Steering Wheel Adjustment....... 43

Steering Wheel Controls ................ 44Cruise Control.............................. 44Horn............................................. 47

Keys and Locks................................ 47Keys............................................... 47

Ignition Switch............................. 48Door Locks................................... 49Power Door Locks....................... 50Trunk............................................ 50Rear Locking Compartment....... 52

Seat Adjustments............................. 52Power Windows............................... 53Removable Roof Panel.................... 55

Removing and Storing................. 56Installing....................................... 57Roof Holder.................................. 59Roof Unlatched Indicator........... 59

Mirrors.............................................. 60Adjusting the Power Mirrors..... 60

Parking Brake.................................. 61Glove Box......................................... 62Digital Clock..................................... 62Console Compartment.................... 63Beverage Holder.............................. 63Sun Visor........................................... 64Cigarette Lighter............................. 64Ashtrays............................................ 64Interior Light.................................... 65


Control Locations


DIGITAL CLOCK(P.62)

HEATING/COOLINGCONTROL(P.70)

AUDIOSYSTEM(P.75)

HOOD RELEASEHANDLE(P.93)

TRUNK RELEASEHANDLE(P.51)

FUEL FILLDOOR RELEASE(P.92)

POWER WINDOWSWITCH(P.53)

MIRRORCONTROLS(P.60)

DOOR LOCKSWITCH(P.50)

Indicator Lights

The instrument panel has manyindicators to give you importantinformation about your car.

Lamp CheckMany of the indicator lights come onwhen you turn the ignition switchON (II), allowing you to see that theyare working. The instrument panelshould look like the illustration. If anindicator does not light during thistest, it cannot alert you if that systemdevelops a problem. Have the dealercheck your car for burned-out bulbsor other problems.

* Canadian cars have differentindicators as noted in the text.

PARKING BRAKE ANDBRAKE SYSTEM INDICATOR*

ROOF AND TRUNK MONITOR HIGH BEAM INDICATOR

SEAT BELT REMINDER LIGHT

CRUISE CONTROLINDICATOR

CHARGING SYSTEM INDICATOR

LOW OIL PRESSURE INDICATOR

MALFUNCTION INDICATOR LAMP/CHECK ENGINE LIGHT*

LOW FUELINDICATOR

ANTI-LOCK BRAKE SYSTEM INDICATOR*


SUPPLEMENTALRESTRAINTSYSTEMINDICATOR

Indicator Lights

Seat Belt Reminder Light

This indicator lights when you turnthe ignition ON (II). It is a reminderto you and your passenger to protectyourselves by fastening the seatbelts. A beeper also sounds if youhave not fastened your seat belt.

If you do not fasten your seat belt,the beeper will stop after a fewseconds but the light stays on untilyou do. Both the light and the beeperstay off if you fasten your seat beltbefore turning on the ignition.

Charging SystemIndicator

This light indicates the battery is notbeing charged. It should come onwhen the ignition is ON (II), and goout after the engine starts. If thislight comes on while driving, thebattery is not being charged. Turn topage 187 for information about whatto do.

Low Oil PressureIndicator

This indicator lights when the oilpressure in the engine drops lowenough to cause damage. It shouldlight when the ignition is ON (II) andgo out after the engine starts. If thislight flashes or stays on when theengine is running, there is a possi-bility of serious engine damage.Safely pull to the side of the road andshut off the engine as soon as youcan. Turn to page 186 for in-structions and precautions onchecking the engine.

Canada Parking Brakeand BrakeSystemIndicator

This light has two functions:

1. It lights as a reminder that youhave set the parking brake.Driving with the parking brake setcan damage the brakes and tires,and cause the Anti-lock brakesystem to turn off (see page 111).

2. It can indicate the brake fluid levelis low if it remains lit after yourelease the parking brake orcomes on while driving. This isnormally due to worn brake pads.Have your dealer check thebraking system for worn pads orfluid leaks.


US

BRAKE

Indicator Lights

Supplemental RestraintSystem Indicator

The SRS light normally comes on fora few seconds when you turn theignition ON (II). If it doesn't, or itstays on after the engine starts,something is wrong with theSupplemental Restraint System. Itmay also flash on and off to indicatea problem.

If you see any of these indications,the airbag may not work whenneeded in an accident. Take the carto your dealer promptly for diagnosis

Malfunction IndicatorLamp

Check Engine Light

This light comes on for a fewseconds when you turn the ignitionswitch ON (II). If it comes on at anyother time, it indicates one of theengine's emission control systemsmay have a problem. Turn to page188 for information about what to do.

Low Fuel Indicator

This light comes on as a reminderthat you must refuel soon.

Roof and Trunk Monitor

The roof and trunk monitor includesthree indicators, the Roof UnlatchedIndicator, the Trunk Open Indicatorand the Rear Window Indicator.

CONTINUED


S R S ROOF UNLATCHEDINDICATOR

TRUNK OPENINDICATOR

REAR WINDOWINDICATOR

US

Canada

Indicator Lights

Roof Unlatched Indicator: Thisindicator lights when you turn theignition ON (II) if the roof panel isnot fastened securely. Check bothrelease levers to make sure they arelocked. See page 58 .

Trunk Open Indicator. This indicatorlights when you turn the ignition ON(II) if the trunk is not closedcompletely. See page 50.

Rear Window Indicator: Thisindicator lights with the ignition ON(II) when the rear window is opened.

Turn Signal andHazard WarningIndicators

The left or right turn signal lightblinks when you signal a lane changeor turn. If the light does not blink orblinks rapidly, it usually means oneof the turn signal bulbs is burned out(see page 159 ). Replace the bulb assoon as possible, since other driverscannot see that you are signalling.

When you turn on the HazardWarning switch, both turn signallights blink. All turn signals on theoutside of the car should flash.

High Beam Indicator

This light comes on with the highbeam headlights. See page 39 forinformation on the headlightcontrols.

On Canadian models, this indicatorcomes on with reduced brightnesswhen the Daytime Running Lights(DRL) are on (see page 39 ).

Cruise Control Indicator

Only on cars equipped with CruiseControl SystemThis lights when you set the cruisecontrol. See page 44 for informationon operating the cruise control.


CRUISECONTROL

Indicator Lights

Canada

Anti-lock Brake System (ABS)IndicatorOnly on cars equipped with ABS (seepage 111)This light normally comes on whenyou turn the ignition ON (II) andgoes off after the engine starts. If itcomes on at any other time, there isa problem in the ABS. If this happens,stop the car in a safe place and turnoff the engine. Reset the system byrestarting the engine.Watch the ABS light. If it does notgo off, or comes back on again whiledriving, take the car to your dealer tohave it checked. With the light on,your car still has normal brakingability but no anti-lock.

Shift Lever Position Indicator(Automatic Transmission only)

This indicator shows which shiftposition the shift lever is in.


US

ABS

Gauges

SpeedometerU.S. ModelsThis shows your speed in miles perhour (mph). The smaller innernumbers are the speed in kilometersper hour (km/h).

Canadian ModelsThis shows your speed in kilometersper hour (km/h). The smaller innernumbers are the speed in miles perhour (mph).

TachometerThe tachometer shows the enginespeed in revolutions per minute(rpm). To protect the engine fromdamage, never drive with thetachometer needle in the red zone.

OdometerThe odometer shows the total dis-tance your car has been driven. Itmeasures miles in U.S. models andkilometers in Canadian models.It is illegal under federal law (in theU.S.) and provincial regulations (inCanada) to disconnect, reset, or alterthe odometer with the intent tochange the number of miles orkilometers indicated.

Trip MeterThis meter shows the number ofmiles (U.S.) or kilometers (Canada)driven since you last reset it. Toreset it, push the trip meter resetbutton.


TACHOMETER SPEEDOMETER ODOMETER

TRIP METER TRIP METERRESET BUTTON

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Gauges

Fuel GaugeThis shows how much fuel you have.It is most accurate when the car is onlevel ground. It may show slightlymore or less than the actual amountwhen you are driving on curvy orhilly roads.

The gauge stays at the same fuellevel reading after you turn off theignition. When you add fuel, thegauge slowly changes to the newreading after you turn the ignitionback ON (II).

Temperature GaugeThis shows the temperature of theengine's coolant. During normaloperation, the pointer should risefrom the bottom white mark to aboutthe middle of the gauge. In severedriving conditions, such as very hotweather or a long period of uphilldriving, the pointer may rise to theupper white mark. If it reaches thered " H " (Hot) mark, pull safely tothe side of the road. Turn to page184 for instructions and precautions

on checking the engine's coolingsystem.


FUEL GAUGE

TEMPERATURE GAUGE

Controls Near the Steering Wheel

The two levers on the steeringcolumn contain controls for drivingfeatures you use most often. The leftlever controls the turn signals,headlights, and high beams. Theright lever controls the windshieldwipers.

The rear window defogger andhazard warning light switches are onthe right edge of the dash above theinstrument panel.

On the US Si and VTEC modelsThere is cruise control switch on theleft edge.

The instrument panel brightnesscontrol is on the instrument panelbetween the tachometer and thesafety indicator.

The lever on the underside of thesteering column allows you to tilt thesteering wheel.


AUXILIARYLIGHT

CRUISECONTROL

REAR WINDOWDEFOGGER

HAZARDWARNING

HEADLIGHTS/TURN SIGNALS

TILT ADJUSTMENT WINDSHIELDWIPERS/WASHERS


Headlights

The rotating switch on the left levercontrols the lights. Turning thisswitch to the first position turnson the parking lights, tail lights,instrument panel lights, side-markerlights, and rear license plate lights.Turning the switch to the secondposition turns on the headlights.

To change between low beams andhigh beams, pull back on the turnsignal lever until you hear a click,then let go. The blue high beamindicator will light (see page 34 ).

To flash the high beams, pull backand hold the turn signal lever.Release the lever and the highbeams will go off.

The high beams will stay on for aslong as you hold the lever, no matterwhat position the headlight switch isin.

Daytime Running Lights(Canadian Models)With the headlight switch off, thehigh beam headlights come on withreduced brightness when you turnthe ignition switch to ON (II) andrelease the parking brake. Theyremain on until you turn the ignitionoff, even if you set the parking brake.

The headlights revert to normaloperation when you turn them onwith the switch.

CONTINUED



Instrument Panel Brightness

The knob on the instrument panelcontrols the brightness of the instru-ment panel lights. Turn the knob toadjust the brightness.

Turn Signals

Signal a turn or lane change with thislever. Push down on the lever tosignal a left turn, and up to signal aright turn. If you push it up or downall the way, the turn signal continuesto blink even when you release thelever. It shuts off automatically asyou complete the turn.

To signal a lane change, push lightlyon the turn signal lever in the properdirection and hold it. The lever willreturn to the center position as soonas you release it.


INSTRUMENT PANELBRIGHTNESS KNOB TURN SIGNAL LEVER


Windshield Wipers

The right lever controls the wind-shield wipers and washers. Therotary switch at the end of the leverhas three positions:

INT — intermittentLO — low speedHI — high speed

In intermittent, the wipers operateevery few seconds. In low speed andhigh speed, the wipers run continu-ously.

To operate the wipers in mist mode,push the control lever down. Thewipers run at high speed until yourelease the lever. This gives you aquick way to clear the windshield.

Windshield Washers

To clean the windshield, pull back onthe wiper control lever. The washersspray until you release the lever.

On Canadian modelsThe wipers run at low speed whileyou're pulling the lever, thencomplete one more sweep of thewindshield after you release it.



Auxiliary Lights

Push the switch to operate theauxiliary lights. The auxiliary lightswill light only when the headlightsare on at low beam. The indicatorwill come on when the auxiliarylights are on.

Hazard Warning

Push the red button on the dashabove the instrument panel to turnon the hazard warning lights (four-way flashers). This causes all fouroutside turn signals and bothindicators in the instrument panel toflash. Use the hazard warning lightsif you need to park in a dangerousarea near heavy traffic, or if your caris disabled.

Rear Window Defogger

The rear window defogger will clearfog, frost, and thin ice from thewindow. Push the defogger button toturn it on and off. The light in thebutton lights to show the defogger ison. If you do not turn it off, thedefogger will shut itself off afterabout 25 minutes. It also shuts offwhen you turn off the ignition. Youhave to turn it on again when yourestart the car.



Make sure the rear window is clearand you have good visibility beforestarting to drive.

The defogger wires on the inside ofthe rear window can be accidentallydamaged. When cleaning the glass,always wipe side to side.

Steering Wheel AdjustmentYou can adjust the steering wheelheight to suit your preference. Dothis before you begin driving.

1. Adjust the seat so you are acomfortable distance from thepedals.

2. The lever to tilt the steering wheelis under the steering column tothe left. Push this lever all the waydown.

3. Move the steering wheel up ordown to the desired position.Position the wheel so you can seeall the instrument panel gaugesand warning lights. Push the leverup to lock the steering wheel inthat position.

4. Make sure you have securelylocked the steering wheel in placeby trying to move it up and down.


Adjusting the steering wheelposition while driving maycause you to lose control of thecar and be seriously injured in acrash.

Adjust the steering wheel onlywhen the car is stopped.

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Steering Wheel Controls

Cruise ControlAvailable only on US Si and VTECmodelsCruise control allows you to maintaina set speed above 25 mph (40 km/h)without keeping your foot on theaccelerator pedal. It is for cruising onstraight, open highways. It is notrecommended for conditions such ascity driving, winding roads, slipperyroads, heavy rain, or bad weather.You should have full control of thecar under those conditions.

The cruise control, as it operates,moves the accelerator pedal. You candamage your car's acceleratormechanism by resting your foot underthe pedal and blocking the movement.

Using the Cruise Control

1. Push in the Cruise Control MasterSwitch. The indicator in the switchwill light.

2. Accelerate to the desired cruisingspeed above 25 mph (40 km/h) .


Improper use of the cruisecontrol can lead to a crash.

Use the cruise control onlywhen traveling on openhighways in good weather.

NOTICECRUISE CONTROLMASTER SWITCH

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3. Press and hold the SET/decelbutton on the steering wheel untilthe CRUISE CONTROL light onthe instrument panel comes on.This shows the system is nowactivated.

The set speed may vary slightly,particularly on hills.

Changing the Set SpeedYou can increase the set cruisingspeed in either of two ways:

Press and hold the RESUME/accel button. The car will acceler-ate slowly. When you reach thedesired cruising speed, release thebutton.

Push on the accelerator pedal. Ac-celerate to the desired cruisingspeed and press the SET/decelbutton.

You can decrease the set cruisingspeed in either of two ways:

Press and hold the SET/decelbutton. The car will decelerate.Release the button when youreach the desired speed.

Tap the brake or clutch pedallightly with your foot. TheCRUISE CONTROL light on theinstrument panel will go out.When the car slows to the desiredspeed, press the SET/decel button.The car will then maintain thedesired speed.

CONTINUED


RESUME/accel

SET/decel


Even with the cruise control turnedon, you can still use the acceleratorpedal to speed up for passing. Aftercompleting the pass, take your footoff the accelerator pedal. The carwill return to the set cruising speed.Resting your foot on the brake orclutch pedal will cause the cruisecontrol to cancel.

Cancelling the Cruise ControlAny of these actions cause the cruisecontrol to cancel.

Tap the brake or clutch pedal.Press the SET/decel and RE-SUME/accel buttons at the sametime.Press the Cruise Control MasterSwitch.

When you tap the brake or clutchpedal, or press the SET and RE-SUME buttons at the same time, theCRUISE CONTROL light on theinstrument panel will go out and thecar will begin to slow down. You canuse the accelerator pedal in thenormal way.

If you use the brake or clutch pedalto cancel cruise control, the systemretains the previously-set cruisingspeed. To return to that speed, ac-celerate to above 25 mph (40 km/h)and press the RESUME/accel buttonuntil the CRUISE CONTROL lightcomes on. The car will accelerate tothe same cruising speed as before.

If you cancel cruise control bypressing the SET and RESUMEbuttons at the same time, thepreviously-set cruising speed iserased. To use the cruise control,accelerate to the desired cruisingspeed and press the SET/decelbutton.


Steering Wheel Controls, Keys and Locks

Pressing the Cruise Control MasterSwitch turns the system completelyoff and erases the previous cruisingspeed from memory. To use thesystem again, refer to Using theCruise Control.

Horn

Press either of the buttons on thesteering wheel spokes to sound thehorn.

Keys

Your car comes with two kinds ofkeys: a master key and a valet key.

IgnitionDoorsRear locking compartmentFuel fill door release handle(Canadian S model only)TrunkTrunk release handle(Except for Canadian S model)


CONTINUED

HORN BUTTONS VALET KEY MASTER KEYKEYNUMBERPLATE

Keys and Locks

The valet key only works the ignitionand the door locks. You can keep thetrunk, fuel fill door release handle(Canadian S model), rear lockingcompartment and trunk releasehandle (except for Canadian Smodel) locked when you leave yourcar and valet key at a parking facility.

You should have received a keynumber plate with your set of keys.You will need this key number if youever have to replace a lost key. Storethis plate in a safe place.When replacing keys, use onlyHonda-approved key blanks.

Ignition Switch

The ignition switch is on the rightside of the steering column. It hasfour positions: LOCK (0), ACCES-SORY (I), ON(II), and START (III).

LOCK (0) — You can insert orremove the key only in this position.When you turn the key from LOCKto ACCESSORY, you may have toturn the steering wheel to releasethe anti-theft lock. To switch fromACCESSORY to LOCK, you mustpush the key in slightly as you turn it.If your car has an automatic trans-mission, it must also be in Park. Theanti-theft lock will lock the steeringcolumn when you remove the key.


Removing the key from theignition switch while drivinglocks the steering. This cancause you to lose control.

Remove the key from theignition switch only whenparked.

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Keys and Locks

ACCESSORY (I) — In this position,you can operate the audio systemand cigarette lighter.

ON (II) — This is the normal keyposition when driving. All featuresand accessories on the car are usable.Several of the lights on the instru-ment panel come on as a test whenyou turn the ignition switch fromACCESSORY to ON (see page 31).

START (I I I ) — Use this positiononly to start the engine. The switchreturns to ON when you let go of thekey.

You will hear a reminder beeper ifyou open the driver's door with thekey in the LOCK or ACCESSORYposition. Remove the key to turn itoff.

Door Locks

Each door has a lock tab next to theinside door handle. Push the tab in tolock the door and pull it out to unlock.

To lock the passenger's door whengetting out of the car, push the locktab in and close the door. To lock thedriver's door, pull the door handleand push the lock tab in. Release thehandle then close the door.

The doors can also be locked andunlocked from the outside with thekey.


LOCK TAB KEY

Keys and Locks

Power Door Locks

Available on Si and VTEC models in theU.S., and VTEC model in CanadaThis allows control of both doorlocks from the driver's door. Pushthe bottom of the master door lockswitch to lock both doors, and thetop to unlock them.

Both doors lock when you push inthe lock tab on the driver's door, orlock the driver's door from theoutside with the key. Only the driver'sdoor unlocks when you use the keyor lock tab. To unlock the passenger'sdoor, use the master door lockswitch or pull out the lock tab onpassenger's door.

Trunk

Open the trunk by putting themaster key in the lock and turning itclockwise.

Keep the trunk closed at all timeswhile driving to avoid damaging thetrunk and getting exhaust gas in theinterior. See Carbon MonoxideHazard on page 26.


MASTER DOOR LOCKSWITCH

Keys and Locks

You cannot put any luggage in thetrunk without lifting up the roofholder when the roof is stored in thetrunk.Make sure to lock the roof holderbefore closing the trunk lid.

Except for Canadian S modelYou can also open the trunk bypulling the trunk release handle tothe left of the driver's seat.

To protect items in the trunk whenyou need to give the key to someoneelse, lock the trunk release handlewith the master key and give theother person the valet key.


ROOF HOLDER

TRUNK RELEASEHANDLE MASTER KEY

Keys and Locks, Seat Adjustments

Rear Locking Compartment

To open either rear lockingcompartment, put the master key inthe lock, turn it counterclockwiseand lift the lid up.Push the lid to close. Turn the keyclockwise to lock the box.

Seat Adjustments

Adjust the seat before you startdriving.To adjust the seat forward andbackward, pull up on the lever underthe seat cushion's front edge. Movethe seat to the desired position andrelease the lever. Try to move theseat to make sure it is locked inposition.

To change the angle of the seat-back,pull up on the lever on the outside ofthe seat bottom. Move the seat-backto the desired position and releasethe lever. Let the seat-back latch inthe new position.


Seat Adjustments, Power Windows

Power WindowsYour car's windows are electrically-powered. Turn the ignition switch toON (II) to raise or lower any window.

Each door has a switch that controlsits window. The rear window switchis located in the master control panelon the driver's armrest. To open thewindow, push the switch down andhold it. Release the switch when youwant the window to stop. Close thewindow by pushing the switch upand holding it. To open the passenger's window or

rear window from the master controlpanel, push down on the appropriateswitch and hold it down until thewindow reaches the desired position.To close the window, push up on thewindow switch. Release the switchwhen the window gets to the positionyou want.

CONTINUED


Reclining the seat-back candecrease the protection you getfrom your seat belt in a crash.

You can slide under the seatbelt and be seriously injured.

Adjust the seat-back to anupright position and sit wellback in the seat.

MAIN SWITCH

DRIVER'S WINDOW SWITCH

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Power Windows

The master control panel also con-tains these extra features:

AUTO — To open the driver'swindow fully, push the windowswitch firmly down and release it.The window automatically goes allthe way down. To stop the windowfrom going all the way down, pushthe window switch up briefly.

To open the driver's window onlypartially, push the window switchdown lightly and hold it. The windowwill stop as soon as you release theswitch.

The AUTO function only works tolower the driver's window. To raisethe window, you must push thewindow switch up and hold it untilthe window reaches the desiredposition.

The MAIN switch controls power tothe passenger's and rear windows.With this switch off, the passenger'sand rear windows cannot be raisedor lowered. The MAIN switch doesnot affect the driver's window. Keepthe MAIN switch off when you havechildren in the car so they do notinjure themselves by operating thewindows unintentionally.


Closing a power window on achild's hands or fingers cancause serious injury.

Make sure your children areaway from the windows beforeclosing them.

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Removable Roof Panel

Your Honda's roof panel has a singlerelease handle on each side, makingit easy to remove and install. Whennot in use, the roof can be stored in aspecial holder in the trunk.

Always clean and dry the roof panelbefore you remove it so dirt andwater do not fall in the interior andtrunk.

Make sure any items you store in thetrunk will not tumble around anddamage the roof panel.

One person should be able to removeand install the roof panel. Althoughthe panel is not very heavy, you mayfind it awkward to handle because ofits size. If so, get someone to assistyou so you do not damage the panel.



Removing and Storing

1. Open both windows.

2. Turn off the engine and set theparking brake.

3. Open the trunk. Push on the roofholder to make sure it is locked inplace. Unlock the roof locks bypivoting them forward.

4. Release each side of the roof bypushing the lock tab sideways andpulling down the release lever.Carefully lift the roof straight up.

5. Place the roof in the roof holderwith the front facing forward.


LOCK TAB RELEASE LEVERROOF LOCKS


6. Lock the roof in the holder bypivoting the lock levers toward theback of the car.

Installing1. Open both windows.

2. Turn off the engine and set theparking brake.

3. Open the trunk.

4. Release the roof from the holderby pushing the tabs and pivotingthe lock levers forward.

CONTINUED


LOCK LEVERTAB


5. Lift the roof out of the holder.Make sure the release levers arein the unlocked (down) position.

6. Set the roof in place on the car.Make sure all four corners aresitting flush with the car body.

7. Secure the roof by turning eachrelease lever until the lock tabclicks forward. Pull on the leversto make sure they are locked.



Roof Holder

To reach items in the trunk whenthe roof is stored, pull the roofholder lock lever and lift the holder.

To secure the roof holder, pushdown on it until it locks. Make sure itis locked so it will not rattle ordamage the trunk lid.

Roof Unlatched Indicator

This indicator lights when you turnthe ignition ON (II) if the roof panelis not fastened securely. Check bothrelease levers to make sure they arelocked.


ROOF UNLATCHED INDICATOR

Mirrors

Keep the inside and outside mirrorsclean and adjusted for best visibility.Be sure to adjust the mirrors beforeyou start driving.

The inside mirror has day and nightpositions. The night position reducesglare from headlights behind you.Flip the tab on the bottom edge ofthe mirror to select the day or nightposition.

Adjusting the Power Mirrors

Available only on Si and VTEC modelsAdjust the outside mirrors with theadjustment switch on the driver'sdoor:

1. Turn the ignition switch ON (II).

2. Move the selector switch to L(driver's side) or R (passenger'sside).

3. Push the appropriate edge of theadjustment switch to move themirror right, left, up or down.

4. When you finish, move theselector switch to the center (off)position. This turns off theadjustment switch so you can'tmove a mirror out of position byaccidentally bumping it.


TAB

SELECTOR SWITCH

ADJUSTMENT SWITCH

Mirrors, Parking Brake

The outside mirror on the passenger'sside has curved glass. Objects lookfarther away than they are. Use thismirror to get a "wide view". Don'tuse it to judge the distance of thingsbehind you.

Parking Brake

To apply the parking brake, pull thelever up fully. To release it, pull upslightly, push the button, and lowerthe lever. The parking brake light onthe instrument panel should go outwhen the parking brake is fullyreleased (see page 32). If you try todrive the car without releasing theparking brake, the ABS cannot workproperly.

Driving the car with the parking brakeapplied can damage the rear brakesand axles.


NOTICE

PARKING BRAKE LEVER

Glove Box, Digital Clock

Glove Box

Open the glove box by pushing theknob. Close it with a firm push.

Digital Clock

The digital clock displays the timewith the ignition switch ON (II).To set the clock:

1. Turn the ignition switch ON (II) todisplay the time.

2. Press and hold the H button untilthe hour advances to the desiredtime.

3. Press and hold the M button untilthe numbers advance to thedesired time.

You can use the R button to quicklyset the time to the nearest hour. Ifthe displayed time is before the halfhour, pressing the R button sets theclock back to the previous hour. Ifthe displayed time is after the halfhour, pressing the R button sets theclock forward to the beginning of thenext hour.

For example:1:06 would RESET backward to1:00.1:52 would RESET forward to 2:00.


An open glove box can causeserious injury to your passengerin a crash, even if thepassenger is wearing the seatbelt.

Always keep the glove boxclosed while driving.

GLOVE BOX

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Console Compartment, Beverage Holder

Console Compartment

CONSOLECOMPART-MENT

To open the console compartment,pull up the edge of the driver's side.To close, lower the lid and push itdown until it latches.

Beverage Holder

The beverage holder is locatedinside the center console compart-ment lid. To use the beverage holder,open the center consolecompartment. Pull the beverageholder out while pushing the lockingtab.

Use the beverage holder only whenthe car is parked. If you place cups inthe holder while driving, the liquidmay spill when you go over bumps oraround corners.

Be careful when you are using thebeverage holder. Spilled liquids candamage the upholstery, carpeting,and electrical components in theinterior. If the liquid is very hot, itcan scald you or your passenger.


LOCKING TAB

Sun Visor, Cigarette Lighter, Ashtrays

Sun Visor

Use of the sun visors will help cut offannoying glare while driving.To use the sun visor, pull it down.

Do not use the sun visor frame as ahand hold or to support yourselfwhen you are getting into or out ofthe car with the roof removed. Toomuch force may cause it to comeloose or break.

Cigarette Lighter

The cigarette lighter is next to theashtray under the ashtray lid. Theignition switch must be in ACCES-SORY (I) or ON (II) for the cigarettelighter to work. To heat up thelighter, push it in. It will pop outwhen it is ready for use. Do not holdthe lighter in while it is heating up,you could cause it to overheat.

Ashtrays

Open the ashtray by lifting the lid up.To remove it for emptying, open thelid then pull it straight out of theholder. To reinstall the ashtray, put itback in the holder with the lid openand push it straight down.


CIGARETTELIGHTER ASHTRAY

Ashtrays, Interior Light

Use the ashtray only for cigarettes,cigars and other smoking materials. Toprevent a possible fire and damage toyour car, don't put paper or otherthings that can burn in the ashtray.

Interior Light

The interior light has a three-position switch. In the OFF position,the light does not come on. In thecenter position, the interior lightcomes on when you open either door.In the ON position, the interior lightstays on continuously.


NOTICEDOOR ACTIVATED

ON

OFF

Comfort and Convenience Features

The heating/ventilation system inyour car, when combined with theoptional air conditioning, provides acomfortable driving environment inall weather conditions.

(Si and VTEC models)The standard audio system is veryversatile. To get the most from thissystem, take the time to learn whatthe controls do. To discourage theft,a code number is required to enablethe system.

(S model)Refer to the operating instructionsthat came with the optional audiosystem you selected.

Heating and Cooling........................ 68What Each Control Does............ 70How to Use the System............... 71

Controlling Air FlowDirection............................... 71

Ventilation................................ 71To Cool with A/C .................... 72To Heat..................................... 73To Heat and Dehumidify

with Air Conditioning.......... 73To Defog and Defrost............. 74

To Turn Everything Off ............. 74Audio System................................... 75

AM/FM/Cassette StereoAudio System........................... 75

Operating the Radio.................... 76Presetting..................................... 78Adjusting the Sound.................... 79Radio Frequencies....................... 80Operating the Cassette Player... 81Cassette Search Functions......... 82Caring for Cassettes.................... 83Operating the CD Player............ 84CD Error Indications................... 86

Caring for the Cassette Player....... 87Theft Protection............................... 88


Heating and Cooling

This system has full heating,ventilation, and air conditioning(optional) capabilities. You canadjust the system controls to mixthese in various combinations. Theair flows into the interior at threepossible levels, which you can select.

If you purchased your car without airconditioning, it can be installed atany time. A Genuine Honda airconditioning system is available fromyour dealer. It meets Honda's highquality standards and is designed tofit your car. Please contact yourdealer for more information.

The direction of air flow from thevents in the center of the dashboardand corner vents is adjustable. Movethe tab in the center of each vent up-and-down and side-to-side.

The corner vents can be closed byturning the vent approximately 45°to the right.

The center console vent on thedriver's side can also be closed byturning the vent.


CENTER VENT CORNER VENT

Heating and Cooling

The heating and cooling systemdraws air through the exterior ventsat the bottom of the windshield.Keep these vents clear of leaves andother debris.


Heating and Cooling

What Each Control Does

Fan Control DialTurning this dial clockwise increasesthe fan speed, which increases airflow.

Temperature Control LeverSliding this lever to the rightincreases the temperature of airflowing from the system.

Mode ButtonsThese buttons control the directionof air flow. The indicator light showswhich button is controlling air flow.

Air Conditioning (A/C) SwitchThis switch turns the air condi-tioning ON and OFF. The indicatorin the switch lights when the A/C isON.

MODE BUTTONS RECIRCULATIONBUTTON

FAN CONTROLDIAL

TEMPERATURECONTROL LEVER

AIR CONDITIONINGSWITCH

Recirculation ButtonThis button controls the source of airgoing into the system. When theindicator in this button is lit, thesystem is recirculating the interiorair (Recirculation mode). When theindicator is off, fresh air is broughtin from outside the car (Fresh Airmode). Push the button to change

between recirculated and fresh air.


Heating and Cooling

How to Use the SystemThis section covers the best way touse the system for ventilation,cooling, dehumidifying, defrostingand heating. In most cases, the modeand air source selections are onlyrecommendations. You may preferdifferent settings.

Use Recirculation mode to heat orcool the interior more quickly, or tokeep out smoke and dust. Leavingthe system in the recirculation modewith the A/C off can cause thewindows to fog up. Switch to FreshAir mode as soon as the interiorreaches a comfortable temperatureor the outside smoky, dustycondition clears.

The engine must be running for theheater and air conditioning to pro-vide hot and cold air. The heateruses engine coolant to warm the air.If the engine is cold, it will be severalminutes before you feel warm aircirculating.

The air conditioning system does notdepend on engine temperature. Itcan produce cold air almost immedi-ately.

Controlling Air Flow DirectionAir flows into the interior at threelevels: Toward the floorthrough the dash vents andtoward the windshield and sidewindows You select the airflow level or combination of levelswith the five mode buttons.

VentilationYour car has a flow-throughventilation system. Air enters the carthrough vents in front of thewindshield. It circulates through theinterior then exits through the rearpanel. This system provides fresh aireven when the car is standing still.To bring in outside air, select theFresh Air mode. Set the fan at acomfortable speed.

CONTINUED


Heating and Cooling

To Cool with A/C (Optional)To operate the air conditioningsystem, press the air conditioningswitch. Set the fan to the desiredspeed. You can also use the

mode button to direct air outof the dash and heater vents.

To cool the interior down rapidlyafter the car has been sitting in thesun:

1. Start the engine.2. Turn on the A/C by pressing the

switch.3. Set the fan to maximum speed.4. Open the windows partially. Select

the Recirculation mode and

When the interior reaches a com-fortable temperature, close thewindows and set the system forcooling as described above.

MODE BUTTONS

FAN CONTROLDIAL



Air conditioning places an extra loadon the engine. Watch the enginecoolant temperature gauge (see page37) when using the A/C in heavy

traffic or driving up long hills. If itmoves near the red zone, turn off theair conditioning until the gaugereads normally.


Heating and Cooling

To HeatTo warm the interior:

1. Start the engine.2. Select the Fresh Air mode and

3. Switch the fan to the desiredspeed.

4. Adjust the warmth of the air withthe temperature control lever.

To Heat and Dehumidify with AirConditioningAir conditioning removes moisturefrom the air as it operates. Whenused in combination with the heater,it makes the interior warm and dry.

MODE BUTTONS

FAN CONTROLDIAL



1. Switch the fan on.2. Turn on the air conditioning.3. Select the Fresh Air mode and

press any desired mode button.4. Adjust the temperature control

lever so the mixture of heated andcooled air feels comfortable.

This setting is suitable for all drivingconditions whenever the outsidetemperature is above 32°F (0°C).

CONTINUED


Heating and Cooling

To Defog and DefrostTo remove fog from the inside of thewindows:

1. Switch the fan on.2. Turn on the air conditioning.3. Select the Fresh Air mode and

4. Adjust the temperature controllever so the air flow from thedefroster vents feels warm.

5. Turn on the rear window defoggerto help clear the rear window.

To remove exterior frost or ice fromthe windshield and side windowsafter the car has been sitting out incold weather:

1. Start the engine.2. Select the Fresh Air mode and

3. Switch the fan and temperaturecontrols to maximum.

To rapidly remove exterior frost orice from the windshield (on very colddays), first select the Recirculationmode. Once the windshield is clear,select the Fresh Air mode to avoidfogging the windows.

These settings direct all the air flowto the defroster vents at the base ofthe windshield and the side windowdefroster vents. The air flow will getwarmer and clear the windows fasteras the engine warms up. You canclose the corner vents by turningthem 45° clockwise. This will sendmore warm air to the windshield de-froster vents.

For safety, make sure you have aclear view through all the windowsbefore driving away.

To Turn Everything OffTo shut off the system temporarily,turn off the fan and slide thetemperature control lever all the wayto the left.

You should shut the system com-pletely off only for the first fewminutes of driving in cold weather,until the engine coolant warms upenough to operate the heater. Keepthe fan on at all other times so staleair does not build up in the interior.


Audio System

AM/FM/Cassette Stereo AudioSystemFor Si and VTEC modelsYour Honda audio system is easy touse, and will give clear AM/FMreception. The preset buttons allowyou to select six stations on AM andtwelve stations on FM.

The cassette system usesDolby B®* noise reduction to giveexcellent sound reproduction. Thesystem also senses when a metal orchromium-dioxide (CrO2) tape isbeing played and adjusts accordingly.

The cassette player features auto-reverse for continuous play.

The Anti-theft feature disables thesystem if it is disconnected from thecar's battery. To get the systemworking again, you must enter acode number.

ON/VOL KNOB

TUNE/SEEK BAR

* Dolby noise reduction manufac-tured under license from DolbyLaboratories Licensing Corporation."DOLBY" and the double-D symbol

are trademarks of DolbyLaboratories Licensing Corporation.


PRESET BUTTONS FM BUTTON

CASSETTE SLOT AM BUTTON

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Audio System

Operating the RadioThe ignition switch must be in AC-CESSORY (I) or ON (II) to operatethe audio system. Turn the systemon by turning the ON/VOL knobclockwise. The radio comes on anddisplays the frequency of the stationit was last tuned to.

Adjust the volume by turning theON/VOL knob.

ON/VOL KNOB STEREO INDICATOR

Select the band you want to listen toby pressing the AM or FM button.You will see the selected band andthe frequency in the display.

FM BUTTON

ST will be displayed next to the fre-quency if the station is broadcastingin FM stereo. The AM stereo featureis not available.


AM BUTTON

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Audio System

You can use any of three methods tofind radio stations on the selectedband: TUNE, SEEK, or the Presetbuttons.

The TUNE function lets you find adesired frequency.Use the TUNE/SEEK bar to changethe frequency in small increments.Press the right side to tune to ahigher frequency, and the left side

to tune to a lower frequency.Press and release to change thefrequency to the next number.

Press the TUNE/SEEK bar and holdit to change to a frequency that is faraway. The frequency display willbegin to count rapidly. It will stopcounting when you release the bar.

PRESET BUTTONS

The SEEK function searches theband for stations with a strong signal.Depending on which side you presson the TUNE/SEEK bar, the systemsearches up or down from thecurrent frequency. Press the baruntil you hear a beep, then release it.The system searches until it finds astation with a strong signal, then

stops.


TUNE/SEEK BAR

Audio System

PresettingThe preset buttons allow you to storeradio frequencies for later selection.Each button will store one frequencyon the AM band, and two on the FMband.

To store a frequency:

1. Select the desired band, AM orFM. FM1 and FM2 let you storetwo frequencies with each Presetbutton.

2. Use the TUNE or SEEK functionto tune the radio to a desiredstation.

3. Pick the Preset button you wantfor that station. Press the buttonand hold it until you hear a beep.

4. Repeat steps 1 to 3 to store a totalof six stations on AM and twelveon FM.

AM BUTTON

TUNE/SEEK BAR

Once that station's frequency isstored, simply press and release theproper preset button to tune to it. Ifyou want to change any presetbutton's selection, store another fre-quency as described. The frequen-cies you preset will be lost if yourcar's battery goes dead or is discon-nected.


PRESET BUTTONS FM BUTTON

Audio System

Adjusting the SoundUse the Balance and Fader controlsto adjust the sound "direction". TheBalance control moves it left-to-right.The Fader control moves it front-to-back.

To use either control, push on theknob to get it to pop out. Adjust thefront-to-back sound to your likingwith the outside ring.

Adjust side-to-side sound balancewith the knob. Push the knob back inwhen you are done.

The illumination for the radio con-trols comes on with the instrumentpanel lights, even if the radio is off.You can use the Balance control toturn off the radio panel illuminationeven with the radio on. Push thecontrol knob so it pops out, then pullit out slightly further. Check thiscontrol if the control panel lights donot come on with the instrumentpanel lights.

Use the Bass and Treble controls toadjust the tone quality to your liking.Push on the knob to get the controlsto pop out. Adjust the bass level withthe outer ring and the treble levelwith the knob. When finished, pushthe knobs back in so there is lesschance of accidentally changing yoursettings.


BASSCONTROL

TREBLECONTROL

FADERCONTROL

BALANCECONTROL

Audio System

Radio FrequenciesYour Honda's radio can tune in allfrequencies in both the AM and FMbands.Those bands cover these frequen-cies:

AM band:530 kilohertz to 1,710 kilohertzFM band:87.7 megahertz to 107.9 mega-hertz

Radio stations on the AM band areassigned frequencies at least 10kilohertz apart (530, 540, 550).Those on the FM band are assignedfrequencies at least 0.2 megahertzapart (87.9, 88.1,88.3).

AM BUTTON

FM BUTTON

Stations must use these exactfrequencies. It is fairly common forstations to round-off the frequency intheir advertising, so your radio willshow a frequency of 100.9 eventhough the announcer may call thestation "FM101."


Audio System

Operating the Cassette PlayerTurn the system ON. Insert thecassette into the slot with the tapeopening to the right. Push thecassette in most of the way. Thedrive will pull it in the rest of the wayand begin to play.

The or will light to show youwhich side of the cassette is playing.The indicates the side youinserted facing upward is nowplaying. To play the other side of thetape, press the PROG button.

The system also has an Auto-reversefeature. It will automatically reversedirection when it reaches the end ofthe cassette.

EJECT BUTTON TAPE DIRECTION INDICATOR

PROG BUTTON

If the tape was recorded with Dolby"B" noise reduction, turn it on bypressing the button.

To remove the cassette from thedrive, press the EJECT button. Thesystem automatically ejects thecassette whenever you turn off thesystem or the ignition switch.


DOLBY BUTTON

Audio System

Cassette Search FunctionsOnce a cassette is playing, you canuse the FF, REW or TMS function tolook for desired songs or passages.

Press the REW button to rewind thecassette. Press the FF button to fastforward. The cassette slops playingand the light in the button comes on.To stop rewind or fast forward, pressthe PLAY button. If the systemreaches the end of the cassette whilein fast forward or rewind, itautomatically stops that function,reverses direction, and begins to play.

REWBUTTON

TMS BUTTON

The TMS function lets you skip tothe beginning of a song or otherpassage.

Press the TMS button and then theFF button or REW button. The tapewill automatically advance to thebeginning of the next song, or returnto the beginning of the song just

played. When the system senses asilent period on the tape, it goes backto PLAY mode.


PLAYBUTTON

FFBUTTON

Audio System

The TMS function uses silentperiods on the tape to find the end ofa selection. This feature may notwork satisfactorily on tapes thathave almost no gap between songs, ahigh noise level between songs, orsilent periods in the middle of songs.

TMS BUTTON

Caring for CassettesDamaged cassettes can jam insidethe drive or cause other problems.See page 87 for information oncassette care and protection.


Audio System

Operating the CD Player(Optional)A Compact Disc changer is availablefor your car. It holds up to six discs,providing several hours of continu-ous programming. You operate theCD changer with the same controlsused for the radio and cassetteplayer.

Load the desired CD's in themagazine and load the magazine inthe changer according to theinstructions that came with the unit.

To operate the CD changer, theignition key must be in ACCESSORY(I) or ON (II). If you are listening toa cassette tape, eject it beforeplaying a CD.

ON/VOL KNOB CD BUTTON

Press the CD button until "CD"appears on the display. Once in theCD mode, the system will start toplay the first track of the first disc inthe magazine.

When that disc ends, the next disc inthe magazine is loaded and played.

After disc 6 has completed, thesystem will return to disc 1. To makeyour own disc selection, push one ofthe six preset buttons. Your selectionwill appear in the display and startplaying.


Audio System

You can use the TUNE/SEEK barwhile a disc is playing to selectpassages and change tracks.To move rapidly forward within atrack, press and hold the side ofthe TUNE/SEEK bar. Press andhold the side to move rapidly back-ward within a track. Keep pressingthe bar until you think the track hasadvanced or returned to the desiredposition. The disc will start playingwhen you release the bar.

If you press the side and release it,the system will skip forward to thebeginning of the next track on thatCD.It will skip backward to the begin-ning of the current track if you pressthe side and release it.

If you change modes to radio ortape while a CD is playing, thenchange back to CD mode, thesame disc and track will play.

ON/VOL KNOB CD BUTTON

TUNE/SEEK BAR

If you turn off the system while aCD is playing, either with the ON/VOL knob or by turning off theignition, the system will begin atthe same disc and track when youturn it back on.

If you try to select an empty slot inthe magazine, the system willselect and play the first track ofthe next disc in the magazine.

To return to the radio function, pressthe AM/FM button.


ldc_17

Audio System

CD Error IndicationsIf you see an error indication on thedisplay, find the cause in the chart tothe right. If you cannot clear theerror indication, take the car to yourHonda dealer.


Caring for the Cassette Player

The cassette drive picks up dirt andoxides whenever you play a tape.This builds up over time and causesthe sound quality to degrade. Toprevent this, you should clean thecassette drive after every 30 hours ofuse. Your dealer has a cleaning kitavailable for this purpose.

After 30 hours of tape use, you willsee CLEAN flashing for 5 seconds inthe display when you insert a tapeinto the tape slot. If you are already

regularly cleaning the tape drive atleast every 30 hours, reset theindicator by pressing the Resetbutton while the system is in thetape operation mode. Hold thebutton until the CLEAN indicatorgoes out.

If you do not clean the cassette driveregularly, it may eventually becomeimpossible to remove the depositswith a normal cleaning kit.

The cassette player automaticallyejects cassettes that do not playnormally. If it ejects a cassettebefore it begins to play, it is probablydefective and should not be insertedagain. You may have a cassettesuddenly stop playing, reversedirections once or twice and theneject. This is normally an indicationthe tape is wound unevenly. It shouldplay normally after being manuallyrewound.

Use 100-minute or shorter cassettes.Cassettes longer than 100 minutesuse thinner tape that may break orjam the drive.

Look at a cassette before you insertit. If the tape is loose, tighten it byturning one of the hubs with a pencilor your finger.

If the label is peeling off, do not putit in the player. It may cause thecassette to jam in the drive mecha-nism when you try to eject it.

Do not leave cassettes sitting wherethey are exposed to high heat orhumidity, such as on top of thedashboard or in the player. If acassette is exposed to extreme heator cold, let it reach a moderatetemperature before putting it in theplayer.


CLEAN INDICATOR

C L E A N RESET BUTTON

Theft Protection

On Si and VTEC modelsYour car's audio system will disableitself if it is disconnected fromelectrical power for any reason. Tomake it work again, the user mustenter a specific five-digit code in thePreset buttons. Because there arehundreds of number combinationspossible from five digits, making thesystem work without knowing theexact code is nearly impossible.

You should have received one copyof a card that lists your audio system'scode number and serial number. It isbest to store one of these cards in asafe place at home, and to keep theother in your wallet or purse. Inaddition, you should write the audiosystem's serial number in thisOwner's Manual. If you shouldhappen to lose both cards, you mustobtain the code number from yourHonda dealer. To do this, you willneed the system's serial number.

If your car's battery is disconnectedor goes dead, the audio system willdisable itself. If this happens, youwill see "Code" in the frequencydisplay the next time you turn on thesystem. Use the Preset buttons toenter the five-digit code. If it isentered correctly, the radio will startplaying.

If you make a mistake entering thecode, do not start over or try tocorrect your mistake. Complete thefive-digit sequence, then enter thecorrect code. You have three tries toenter the correct code. If you areunsuccessful in three attempts, youmust then leave the system on forone hour before trying again.

You will have to store your favoritestations in the Preset buttons afterthe system begins working. Youroriginal settings were lost whenpower was disconnected.


Before Driving

Before you begin driving your Honda,you should know what gasoline touse, and how to check the levels ofimportant fluids. You also need toknow how to properly stow luggageor packages. This section will helpyou. If you plan to add any accesso-ries to your car, please read theinformation in this section first.

Break-in Period................................ 90Gasoline............................................ 90

Oxygenated Fuels........................ 90Driving in Foreign Countries..... 91

Service Station Procedures ............ 92Filling the Fuel Tank................... 92Opening the Hood....................... 93

Fuel Economy.................................. 96Vehicle Condition........................ 96Driving Habits.............................. 96

Accessories....................................... 97Loading Cargo.................................. 98

Before Driving

Break-in Period, Gasoline

Break-in PeriodHelp assure your car's futurereliability and performance by payingextra attention to how you driveduring the first 1,000 km (600 miles).During this period:

Avoid full-throttle starts and rapidacceleration.

If you need to add oil, use theengine oil recommended in thisowner's manual.

Avoid hard braking. New brakesneed to be broken-in by moderateuse for the first 300 km (200miles).

You should follow these same re-commendations with an overhauledor exchanged engine, or when thebrakes are relined.

GasolineYour Honda is designed to operatemost effectively on unleadedgasoline.

(S and Si models)Use an unleaded gasoline with apump octane number of 86 or higher.Use of a lower octane gasoline cancause a persistent, heavy metallicrapping noise in the engine that canlead to mechanical damage.

We recommend gasolines containingdetergent additives that help preventfuel system and engine deposits.

Using gasoline containing lead willdamage your car's emission controls.This contributes to air pollution andcan void certain parts of yourwarranty.

(VTEC model)Use a premium unleaded gasolinewith a pump octane number of 91 orhigher.If you are unable to find premiumunleaded, you may substitute anunleaded regular gasoline. Theengine will compensate for the loweroctane, but you may notice a slightdecrease in power as a result.

Oxygenated FuelsSome conventional gasolines arebeing blended with alcohol or anether compound. These gasolinesare collectively referred to asoxygenated fuels. To meet clean airstandards, some areas of the UnitedStates and Canada use oxygenatedfuels to help reduce emissions.

If you use an oxygenated fuel, besure it is unleaded and meets theminimum octane rating requirement.

Before Driving

Gasoline

Before using an oxygenated fuel, tryto confirm the fuel's contents. Somestates/provinces require thisinformation to be posted on thepump.

The following are the EPA-approvedpercentages of oxygenates:

ETHANOL (ethyl or grain alcohol)You may use gasoline containing upto 10% ethanol by volume. Gasolinecontaining ethanol may be marketedunder the name "Gasohol."

MTBE (Methyl Tertiary ButylEther)You may use gasoline containing upto 15% MTBE by volume.

METHANOL (methyl or woodalcohol)You may use gasoline containing upto 5% methanol by volume as lonTg asit also contains cosolvents andcorrosion inhibitors to protect thefuel system. Gasoline containingmore than 5% methanol by volumemay cause starting and/or perform-ance problems. It may also damagemetal, rubber and plastic parts ofyour fuel system.

If you notice any undesirableoperating symptoms, try anotherservice station or switch to anotherbrand of gasoline.

Fuel system damage or performanceproblems resulting from the use ofan oxygenated fuel containing morethan the percentages of oxygenatesgiven above are not covered underwarranty.

Driving in Foreign CountriesUsing any type of leaded gasoline inyour Honda will affect performanceand damage its emission controls.Unleaded gasoline may not beavailable in other countries. If youare planning to take your car outsidethe U.S. or Canada, write to Honda atthe address shown for informationabout any modifications your carmay need. Be sure to include theyear and model of your car.

U.S. Owners:American Honda Motor Co., Inc.Consumer Affairs1919 Torrance Blvd.Torrance, CA 90501-2746

Canadian Owners:Honda Canada Inc.715 Milner Ave.Scarborough, Ontario M1B 2K8

Before Driving

Service Station Procedures

Filling the Fuel Tank

1. The fuel fill is on the driver's sideof the car. Park with that sideclosest to the service stationpumps.

2. Open the fuel fill door by pullingon the handle to the left of thedriver's seat.

3. Remove the fuel fill cap slowly.You may hear a hissing sound aspressure inside the tank escapes.

4. Stop filling the tank after the fuelpump automatically clicks off. Donot try to "top off" the tank, leavesome room for the fuel to expandwith temperature changes.

5. Screw the fuel fill cap back on,tighten it until it clicks more thantwice.

6. Push the fuel fill door until itlatches.

Before Driving

Gasoline is highly flammableand explosive. You can beburned or seriously injuredwhen handling fuel.

Stop the engine and keepheat, sparks, and flame away.Handle fuel only outdoors.Wipe up spills immediately.

FUEL FILL CAP

Pull


Canadian S modelThe fuel fi l l opener handle islockable with the master key. Turnthe key counterclockwise to lock andclockwise to unlock.

Opening the Hood

1. Shift to Park or Neutral and setthe parking brake. Pull the hoodrelease handle, located under theleft lower corner of the dashboard.The hood will pop up slightly.

2. Standing in front of the car, putyour fingers under the front edgeof the hood to the left of center.Slide your hand to the right untilyou feel the hood latch handle.Push this handle to the right untilit releases the hood. Lift the hood.

CONTINUED

Before Driving

HOOD RELEASE HANDLE

LATCH


3. Pull the support rod out of its clipand insert the end into the hole onthe driver's side of the hood.

To close the hood, lift it up slightly toremove the support rod from thehole. Put the support rod back intoits holding clip. Lower the hood toabout a foot above the fender, thenlet it drop.

Oil Check

Check the engine oil level every timeyou fill the car with fuel. Wait at leasttwo minutes after turning the engineoff before you check the oil.

1. Remove the dipstick (orangehandle).

2. Wipe the dipstick with a cleancloth or paper towel.

Before Driving

SUPPORT ROD DIPSTICK


3. Insert it all the way back in its tube. 4. Remove it again and check thelevel. It should be between theupper and lower marks.

If it is near or below the lower mark,see page 127 for information on theproper oil and how to add it.

Engine Coolant Check

Look at the coolant level in theradiator reserve tank. Make sure it isbetween the MAX and MIN lines. Ifit is below the MIN line, see AddingEngine Coolant on page 131 forinformation on adding the propercoolant.

Refer to Periodic Checks on page124 for information on checking

other items in your Honda.

Before Driving

UPPER MARK

LOWER MARK

RESERVE TANK

MAX

MIN

Fuel Economy

The condition of your car and yourdriving habits are the two mostimportant things that affect the fuelmileage you get.

Vehicle ConditionAlways maintain your car accordingto the maintenance schedule. Thiswill keep it in top operating condition.

An important part of that mainte-nance is the Periodic Checks (seepage 124 ). For example an under-inflated tire causes more "rollingresistance," which uses fuel. It alsowears out faster, so check the tirepressure at least monthly. In winter,the build-up of snow on your car'sunderside adds weight and rollingresistance. Frequent cleaning helpsyour fuel mileage and reduces thechance of corrosion.

Driving HabitsYou can improve fuel economy bydriving moderately. Rapid acceler-ation, abrupt cornering, and hardbraking use more fuel.

Always drive in the highest gear thatallows the engine to run and acceler-ate smoothly.

Depending on traffic conditions, tryto maintain a constant speed. Everytime you slow down and speed up,your car uses extra fuel. Use thecruise control, when appropriate, toincrease fuel economy.

A cold engine uses more fuel than awarm engine. It is not necessary to"warm-up" a cold engine by letting itidle for a long time. You can driveaway in about a minute, no matterhow cold it is outside. The enginewill warm up faster, and you getbetter fuel economy. To cut down onthe number of "cold starts," try tocombine several short trips into one.

The air conditioning puts an extraload on the engine which makes ituse more fuel. Turn off the A/C tocut down on air conditioning use.Use the flow-through ventilationwhen the outside air temperature ismoderate.

Before Driving

Accessories

Your Honda dealer has many acces-sories available to personalize yourcar. Some of these are audio systems,alloy wheels, air conditioning, andcolor-coordinated carpet floor mats.All Genuine Honda Accessories havebeen approved by our engineers forinstallation and use on your car, andare covered by warranty.

Some non-Honda accessories youcan buy in the "aftermarket" aredesigned for universal applications.Although they may fit your Honda,they may not be within factoryspecifications. For example, after-market wheels may not meet Honda'sspecifications for width and offset.They could cause suspensionproblems which would not becovered by your warranty. Im-properly-designed accessories canadversely affect your car's handlingand stability.

Your car has several computer-controlled systems, including theSRS system, the engine's fuelinjection, and the Anti-lock brakesystem. Strong electronic inter-ference can affect their operation.

Electronic communications equip-ment, such as cellular telephonesand two-way radios are regulated bythe FCC (DOC in Canada) andshould not interfere with your car'ssystems. Improper installation, orusing electrical equipment not in-tended for mobile use may interferewith your car's operation. If you wantto install a cellular telephone, othermobile communications equipmentor even add-on stereo amplifiers,please discuss it first with yourHonda dealer.

In many cases, improper installationis the real cause of problems withaftermarket accessories. Have theseaccessories installed by qualifiedtechnicians who are familiar withyour Honda. If possible, have yourHonda dealer inspect the finalinstallation.

Before Driving

Loading Cargo

The maximum load you can carry inyour Honda is 185 kg (400 Ibs). Itincludes the total weight of allpassengers and their belongings, andany accessories. This 185 kg (400Ibs) figure is shown as the VehicleCapacity Weight on the tire infor-mation label attached to the inside ofthe glove box.

To figure out how much cargo youcan carry:

Figure the total "occupant weight"you will be transporting. To do this,multiply yourself and yourpassenger by 70 kg (150 Ibs).

Subtract this number from theVehicle Capacity Weight (185 kg/400 Ibs).

This final number is the total weightof cargo you can load in or on the car.With two occupants (a driver and apassenger), the maximumrecommended weight for cargo is 45kg (100 Ibs).

Where you store this cargo, and howwell you secure it, are just asimportant as how much it weighs.Make sure you load cargo so it willnot shift while driving. When storingitems in the trunk, place them as farforward as possible.

Never place items on top of the rearlocking compartments behind theseats. Those items can fly forwardand injure you or your passenger ifyou brake hard or are involved in acollision.

If you must carry large objects thatprevent you from closing the trunklid, be aware that exhaust gas canenter the interior. See CarbonMonoxide Hazard on page 26.

Before Driving

Driving

This section gives you tips onstarting the engine under variousconditions, and how to operate themanual and automatic transmissions.It also includes importantinformation on your car's brakingsystem.

Preparing to Drive......................... 100Starting the Engine........................ 101

5-speed ManualTransmission.......................... 101

AutomaticTransmission.......................... 101

Starting in Cold Weatherat High Altitude ..................... 102

5-speed Manual Transmission..... 103Recommended Shift Points...... 104Maximum Speeds...................... 104

Automatic Transmission............... 105Shift Lever Positions................. 105Maximum Speeds...................... 108Shift Lock Release..................... 108

The Braking System...................... 109Brake Wear Indicators.............. 110Brake System Design................ 110Anti-lock Brakes........................ 111

Driving in Bad Weather................ 112Towing a Trailer............................ 114

Driving

Preparing to Drive

You should do the following checksand adjustments every day beforeyou drive your car.

1. Make sure all windows, mirrors,and outside lights are clean andunobstructed. Remove frost, snow,or ice.

2. Check that the hood and trunk arefully closed, and the roof panel issecured.

3. Visually check the tires. If a tirelooks low, use a gauge to check itspressure.

4. Check that any items you may becarrying with you inside are storedproperly or fastened downsecurely.

5. Check the adjustment of the seat(see page 52 ).

6. Check the adjustment of theinside and outside mirrors (seepage 60 ).

7. Check the adjustment of thesteering wheel (see page 43 ).

8. Make sure the doors are securelyclosed and locked.

9. Fasten your seat belt. Check thatyour passenger has fastened hisseat belt (see page 7 ).

10. Turn the ignition ON (II). Checkthe indicator lights in the instru-ment panel.

11. Start the engine (see page 101 ).

12. Check the gauges and indicatorlights in the instrument panel (seepage 31 ).

Driving

Starting the Engine

5-speed Manual Transmission1. Apply the parking brake.

2. In cold weather, turn off allelectrical accessories to reducethe drain on the battery.

3. Push the clutch pedal down all theway. START (III) does notfunction unless the clutch pedal isdepressed.

4. Without touching the acceleratorpedal, turn the ignition key to theSTART (III) position. If the enginedoes not start right away, do nothold the key in START (III) formore than 15 seconds at a time.Pause for at least 10 secondsbefore trying again.

5. If the engine does not start within15 seconds, or starts but stallsright away, repeat step 4 with theaccelerator pedal pressed half-waydown. If the engine starts, releasepressure on the accelerator pedalso the engine does not race.

6. If the engine still does not start,press the accelerator pedal all theway down and hold it there whilestarting in order to clear flooding.As before, keep the ignition key inthe START (III) position for nomore than 15 seconds. Return tostep 5 if the engine does not start.If it starts, lift your foot off theaccelerator pedal so the enginedoes not race.

Automatic Transmission1. Apply the parking brake.

2. In cold weather, turn off allelectrical accessories to reducethe drain on the battery.

3. Make sure the shift lever is inPark. Press on the brake pedal.

4. Without touching the acceleratorpedal, turn the ignition key to theSTART (III) position. If the enginedoes not start right away, do nothold the key in START (III) formore than 15 seconds at a time.Pause for at least 10 secondsbefore trying again.

CONTINUED

Driving

Starting the Engine

5. If the engine does not start within15 seconds, or starts but stallsright away, repeat step 4 with theaccelerator pedal pressed half-waydown. If the engine starts, releasepressure on the accelerator pedalso the engine does not race.

6. If the engine still does not start,press the accelerator pedal all theway down and hold it there whilestarting in order to clear flooding.As before, keep the ignition key inthe START (III) position for nomore than 15 seconds. Return tostep 5 if the engine does not start.If it starts, lift your foot off theaccelerator pedal so the enginedoes not race.

Starting in Cold Weather at HighAltitude (Above 2,400 meters/8,000 feet)An engine is harder to start in coldweather. The thinner air found athigh altitude above 2,400 meters(8,000 feet) adds to the problem.Use the following procedure:

1. Turn off all electrical accessoriesto reduce the drain on the battery.

2. Push the accelerator pedal half-way to the floor and hold it therewhile starting the engine. Do nothold the ignition key in START(III) for more than 15 seconds.When the engine starts, releasethe accelerator pedal gradually asthe engine speeds up and smoothsout.

3. If the engine fails to start in step 2,push the accelerator pedal to thefloor and hold it there while youtry to start the engine for no morethan 15 seconds. If the enginedoes not start, return to step 2.

Driving

5-speed Manual Transmission

The manual transmission is syn-chronized in all forward gears forsmooth operation. It has a lockout soyou cannot shift directly from Fifthto Reverse. When shifting up ordown, make sure you push the clutchpedal down all the way, shift to thenext gear, and let the pedal upgradually. When you are not shifting,do not rest your foot on the clutchpedal. This can cause your clutch towear out faster.

Come to a full stop before you shiftinto reverse. You can damage thetransmission by trying to shift intoreverse with the car moving.Depress the clutch pedal and pausefor a few seconds before putting it inreverse, or shift into one of theforward gears for a moment. Thisstops the gears so they won't "grind".

You can get extra braking from theengine when slowing down byshifting to a lower gear. This extrabraking can help you maintain a safespeed and prevent your brakes fromoverheating while going down asteep hill. Before downshifting,make sure engine speed will not gointo the tachometer's red zone in thelower gear. Refer to the MaximumSpeeds chart.

Driving

Rapid slowing or speeding-upcan cause loss of control onslippery surfaces. If you crash,you can be injured.

Use extra care when driving onslippery surfaces.

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Recommended Shift PointsDrive in the highest gear that letsthe engine run and acceleratesmoothly. This will give you the bestfuel economy and effective emis-sions control. The following shiftpoints are recommended:

(S, Si)

(VTEC) Maximum SpeedsThe speeds in this table are themaximums for the given gears. Ifyou exceed these speeds, the enginespeed will enter into the tachometer'sred zone. If this occurs, you may feelthe engine cut in and out. This iscaused by a limiter in the engine'scomputer controls. The engine willrun normally when you reduce theRPM below the red zone.

(S, Si)

Driving

5-speed Manual Transmission, Automatic Transmission

(VTEC) Automatic TransmissionYour Honda's transmission has fourforward speeds. It has a "lock-up"torque converter for better fueleconomy. You may feel what seemslike another shift when the converterlocks.

Shift Lever Positions

This display is on the instrumentpanel. It shows you the position ofthe shift lever.

SHIFT LEVER

The shift lever has seven positions.It must be in Park or Neutral to startthe engine. When you are stopped inD4, D3, 2, 1, N or R, press firmly onthe brake pedal and keep your footoff the accelerator pedal.

CONTINUED

Driving

Automatic Transmission

Park (P) — This position mechani-cally locks the transmission. UsePark whenever you are turning off orstarting the engine. To shift out ofPark, you must press on the brakepedal and have your foot off theaccelerator pedal. Press the releasebutton on the side of the shift leverto move it.

If you have done all of the above andstill cannot move the lever out ofPark, see Shift Lock Release on page108.

You must also press the releasebutton to shift into Park. To avoidtransmission damage, come to acomplete stop before shifting intoPark. The shift lever must be in Parkbefore you can remove the key fromthe ignition switch.

Driving


Reverse (R) — To shift to Reversefrom Park, see the explanation underPark. To shift to Reverse fromNeutral, come to a complete stop andthen shift. Press the release buttonbefore shifting into Reverse fromNeutral.

Neutral (N) — Use Neutral if youneed to restart a stalled engine, or ifit is necessary to stop briefly withthe engine idling. Shift to Park posi-tion if you need to leave the car forany reason. Press on the brake pedalwhen you are moving the shift leverfrom Neutral to another gear.

Drive (D4) — Use this position foryour normal driving. The transmis-sion automatically selects a suitablegear for your speed and acceleration.

Drive (D3) —This position is similarto D4, except only the first threegears are selected. Use D3 to provideengine braking when going down asteep hill. D3 can also keep thetransmission from cycling betweenthird and fourth gears in stop-and-godriving.

For faster acceleration when in D3 orD4, you can get the transmission toautomatically downshift by pushingthe accelerator pedal to the floor.The transmission will shift down oneor two gears, depending on yourspeed.

Second (2) — To shift to Second,press the release button on the sideof the shift lever. This position locksthe transmission in second gear. Itdoes not downshift to first gearwhen you come to a stop. Secondgives you more power when climbing,and increased engine braking whengoing down steep hills. Use second

gear when starting out on a slipperysurface or in deep snow. It will helpreduce wheelspin.

Whenever you move the shift leverto a lower gear, the transmissiondownshifts only if the engine'sredline will not be exceeded in thelower gear.

First (1) — To shift from Second toFirst, press the release button on theside of the shift lever. With the leverin this position, the transmissionlocks in First gear. By upshifting anddownshifting through 1, 2, D3 and D4,

you can operate this transmissionmuch like a manual transmissionwithout a clutch pedal.

Driving


Maximum SpeedsThe speeds in this table are themaximums for the given position. Ifyou exceed these speeds, the enginespeed will enter into the tachometer'sred zone. If this occurs, you will feelthe engine cut in and out. This iscaused by a limiter in the engine'scomputer controls. The engine willrun normally when you reduce theRPM below the red zone.

(Si) Shift Lock ReleaseThis allows you to move the shiftlever out of Park if the normalmethod of pushing on the brakepedal and pressing the releasebutton does not work.

1. Set the Parking brake.

2. Remove the key from the ignitionswitch.

3. Insert the key in the Shift LockRelease slot next to the shift lever.

4. Push down on the key while youpress the release button and movethe shift lever out of Park toNeutral.

Driving

(S)

Automatic Transmission, The Braking System

5. Remove the key from the ShiftLock Release slot. Depress thebrake pedal and restart the engine.

If you need to use the Shift LockRelease, it could mean your car isdeveloping a problem. Have the carchecked by your Honda dealer.

The Braking SystemYour Honda is equipped with frontdisc brakes. The brakes on the rearwheels may be disc or drum,depending on model. The brakingsystem is power-assisted to reducethe effort needed on the brake pedal.

Put your foot on the brake pedal onlywhen you intend to brake. Restingyour foot on the pedal keeps thebrakes applied lightly, causing themto build up heat. Heat build-up canreduce how well your brakes work. Italso keeps your brake lights on allthe time, confusing drivers behindyou.

Constant application of the brakeswhen going down a long hill buildsup heat and reduces their effective-ness. Use the engine to assist thebrakes by downshifting to a lowergear and taking your foot off theaccelerator pedal.

Check your brakes after drivingthrough deep water. Apply thebrakes moderately to see if they feelnormal. If not, apply them gently andfrequently until they do. Since alonger distance is needed to stopwith wet brakes, be extra cautiousand alert in your driving.

Driving

RELEASE BUTTON

SHIFT LOCK RELEASE SLOT

The Braking System

Brake Wear IndicatorsThe front disc brakes on all carshave audible brake wear indicators.They are also on the rear brakes ofthe Si and VTEC models.When the brake pads need replacing,you will hear a distinctive metallic"screeching" sound when you applythe brakes. If you do not have thebrake pads replaced, they will beginscreeching all the time.Your brakes may sometimes squealor squeak when you apply themlightly. Do not confuse this with thebrake wear indicators. They make avery audible "screeching".

Brake System DesignThe hydraulic system that operatesthe brakes has two separate circuits.Each circuit works diagonally acrossthe car (the left-front brake isconnected with the right-rear brake,etc.). If one circuit should develop aproblem, you will still have brakingat two wheels.

If this happens, you will immediatelynotice that the brake pedal goesdown much farther and you need topress on it much harder. A muchlonger distance will be needed tostop the car.

Slow the car by downshifting to alower gear and removing your footfrom the accelerator pedal. Pull tothe side of the road as soon as it issafe. Because of the longer stoppingdistance needed, brake systemfailure is very hazardous. It is best tohave your car towed, but if you mustdrive the car in this condition, beextremely cautious. Have your carrepaired as soon as possible.

Driving

Front

The Braking System

Anti-lock BrakesThe VTEC model has an Anti-lockBrake System (ABS) as standardequipment. It is optional on the U.S.Si model.

ABS helps you maintain steeringcontrol. It does this by helping you toprevent the wheels from locking upand skidding.

The ABS is always "On". It requiresno special effort or driving technique.You will feel a pulsation in the brakepedal when the ABS activates.

Activation varies with the amount oftraction your tires have. On drypavement, you will need to press onthe brake pedal very hard before youfeel the pedal pulsation that meansthe ABS has activated. However, youmay feel the ABS activate immedi-ately if you are trying to stop onsnow or ice. Under all conditions, theABS is helping to prevent the wheelsfrom locking so you can retainsteering control. You should con-tinue to press on the brake pedalwith the same force.

You may feel a slight movement ofthe brake pedal just after you startthe engine. This is the ABS working.

The ABS is self-checking. If anythinggoes wrong, the ABS indicator onthe instrument panel comes on (seepage 35 ). This means the Anti-lockfunction of the braking system hasshut down. The brakes still work likea conventional system, providingnormal stopping ability. You shouldhave the dealer inspect your car assoon as possible.

CONTINUED

Driving

* U.S. Indicator shown

ABS INDICATOR*

The Braking System, Driving in Bad Weather

A car with ABS may require a longerdistance to stop on loose or unevensurfaces than an equivalent car with-out Anti-lock. The ABS cannot makeup for road conditions or bad judg-ment. It is still your responsibility todrive at reasonable speeds forweather and traffic conditions, andto leave a margin of safety.

For a technical description of theABS hardware, refer to page 200 .

Driving in Bad Weather

Rain, fog, and snow conditions re-quire a different driving techniquebecause of reduced traction andvisibility. Keep your car well-maintained and exercise greatercaution when you need to drive inbad weather. The cruise controlshould not be used in these condi-tions.

Driving Technique — Always driveslower than you would in dryweather. It takes your car longer toreact, even in conditions that mayseem just barely damp. Applysmooth, even pressure to all thecontrols. Abrupt steering wheelmovements or sudden, hard appli-cation of the brakes can cause loss ofcontrol in wet weather. Be extracautious for the first few miles ofdriving while you adjust to thechange in driving conditions. This isespecially true in snow. A person canforget some snow-driving techniquesduring the summer months. Practiceis needed to relearn those skills.

Exercise extra caution when drivingin rain after a long dry spell. Aftermonths of dry weather, the firstrains bring oil to the surface of theroadway, making it slippery.

Driving

Driving in Bad Weather

Visibility — Being able to seeclearly in all directions and beingvisible to other drivers are importantin all weather conditions. This ismore difficult in bad weather. To beseen more clearly during daylighthours, turn on your headlights.

Inspect your windshield wipers andwashers frequently. Keep the wind-shield washer reservoir full of theproper fluid. Have the windshieldwiper blades replaced if they start tostreak the windshield or leave partsunwiped. Use the defrosters and airconditioning to keep the windowsfrom fogging up on the inside (seepage 74 ).

Traction — Check your tiresfrequently for wear and properpressure. Both are important inpreventing "hydroplaning" (loss oftraction on a wet surface). In thewinter, mount snow tires on all fourwheels for the best handling.

Watch road conditions carefully,they can change from moment tomoment. Wet leaves can be as slip-pery as ice. "Clear" roads can havepatches of ice. Driving conditionscan be very hazardous when theoutside temperature is near freezing.The road surface can becomecovered with areas of water puddlesmixed with areas of ice, so yourtraction can change without warning.

Be careful when downshifting. Iftraction is low, you can lock up thedrive wheels for a moment and causea skid.

Be very cautious when passing, orbeing passed by other vehicles. Thespray from large vehicles reducesyour visibility, and the wind buffetingcan cause you to lose control.

Driving

Towing a Trailer

Your car is not designed to tow atrailer. Attempting to do so can voidyour warranties.

Driving

Maintenance

This section explains why it isimportant to keep your car wellmaintained and to follow basicmaintenance safety precautions.

This section also includesMaintenance Schedules for normaldriving and severe driving conditions,a Maintenance Record, andinstructions for simple maintenancetasks you may want to take care ofyourself.

If you have the skills and toolsrequired to perform more complexmaintenance tasks on your Honda,you may want to purchase theService Manual. See page 213 forinformation on how to obtain a copy,or see your Honda dealer.

Maintenance Safety....................... 116Important Safety Precautions ..117

Maintenance Schedule.................. 118Maintenance Record..................... 122Periodic Checks............................. 124Fluid Locations............................... 125Engine Oil....................................... 126

Checking Engine Oil................. 126Adding......................................... 126Recommended Oil..................... 127Additives..................................... 128Oil and Filter Changes.............. 128

Cooling System.............................. 131Checking the Engine Coolant

Level........................................131Adding Engine Coolant............. 131Replacing Engine Coolant........ 133

Windshield Washers..................... 136Transmission Oil............................ 137

AutomaticTransmission.......................... 137

5-speed ManualTransmission.......................... 138

Brake and Clutch Fluid................. 139Brake System............................. 139Anti-lock Brake System............ 140

Clutch System............................ 140Power Steering............................... 141Air Cleaner..................................... 142Spark Plugs..................................... 143

Replacement............................... 143Specification............................... 145

Battery............................................ 145Windshield Wipers........................ 148Air Conditioning............................. 150Drive Belts...................................... 151Tires................................................ 151

Inflation....................................... 152Inspection................................... 153Maintenance............................... 153Tire Rotation.............................. 154Replacing Tires and Wheels .... 154Wheels and Tires....................... 155Winter Driving........................... 155

Snow Tires.............................. 156Tire Chains............................. 156

Lights.............................................. 157Replacing Bulbs......................... 157

Storing Your Car............................ 163

Maintenance

Maintenance Safety

Regularly maintaining your car is thebest way to protect your investment.Proper maintenance is essential toyour safety and the safety of yourpassengers. It will also reward youwith more economical, trouble-freedriving and help reduce air pollution.

This section includes instructions forsimple maintenance tasks, such aschecking and adding oil. Any serviceitems not detailed in this sectionshould be performed by a Hondatechnician or other qualifiedmechanic.

Some of the most important safetyprecautions are given in the nextpage. However, we cannot warn youof every conceivable hazard that canarise in performing maintenance.Only you can decide whether or notyou should perform a given task.

Maintenance

Failure to properly followmaintenance instructions andprecautions can cause you tobe seriously hurt or killed.

Always follow the proceduresand precautions in this owner'smanual.

Improperly maintaining this caror failing to correct a problembefore driving can cause acrash in which you can beseriously hurt or killed.

Always follow the inspectionand maintenancerecommendations andschedules in this owner'smanual.

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Maintenance Safety

Important Safety PrecautionsBefore you begin any maintenance,make sure your car is parked onlevel ground and that the parkingbrake is on. Also, be sure the engineis off. This will help to eliminateseveral potential hazards:

Carbon monoxide poisoningfrom engine exhaust. Be surethere is adequate ventilationwhenever you operate the engine.

Burns from hot parts. Let theengine and exhaust system coolbefore touching any parts.

Injury from moving parts. Donot run the engine unlessinstructed to do so.

Read the instructions before youbegin, and make sure you have thetools and skills required.

To reduce the possibility of fire orexplosion, be careful when workingaround gasoline or batteries. Use anonflammable solvent, not gasoline,to clean parts. Keep cigarettes,sparks, and flames away from thebattery and all fuel-related parts.

You should wear eye protection andprotective clothing when workingnear the battery or when usingcompressed air.

Maintenance

Maintenance Schedule

The Maintenance Schedule specifieshow often you should have your carserviced and what things needattention. It is essential that you haveyour car serviced as scheduled toretain its high level of safety,dependability, and emission controlperformance.

The services and time or distanceintervals shown in the maintenanceschedule assume you will use yourcar as normal transportation. Youshould:

Avoid exceeding your car's loadlimit. This puts excess stress onthe engine, brakes, and manyother parts of your car. The loadlimit is shown on the label in theglove box.

Operate your car on reasonableroads within the legal speed limit.

Drive your car regularly over adistance of several kilometers(miles).

Always use unleaded gasoline withthe proper octane (see page 90 ).

Which Schedule to Follow:Service your car according to thetime and mileage periods on one ofthe Maintenance Schedules on pages120 and 121. Select the schedule for

"Severe Conditions" if most of yourdriving is done under one or more ofthe conditions listed on that page.Otherwise, follow the schedule for"Normal Conditions."

Maintenance

Maintenance Schedule

Your authorized Honda dealerknows your car best and can providecompetent, efficient service.However, service at a dealer is notmandatory to keep your warrantiesin effect. Maintenance may be doneby any qualified service facility orperson who is skilled in this type ofautomotive service. Keep all thereceipts as proof of completion, andhave the person who does the workfill out the Maintenance Record.Check your warranty booklet formore information.

We recommend the use of GenuineHonda parts and fluids whenever youhave maintenance done. These aremanufactured to the same high-quality standards as the originalcomponents, so you can be confidentof their perfomance and durability.

U.S. Cars:Maintenance, replacement orrepair of emission control devicesand systems may be done by anyautomotive repair establishmentor individual using parts that are"certified" to EPA standards.

According to state and federalregulations, failure to performmaintenance on the items markedwith an asterisk (*) will not void youremissions warranties. However,Honda recommends that allmaintenance services be performedat the recommended time or mileageperiod to ensure long-term reliability.

Maintenance

Maintenance Schedule (Normal Conditions)

Follow the Normal MaintenanceSchedule if the severe drivingconditions specified in theSevere Conditions MaintenanceSchedule on the next page donot apply.

For Canadian Owners:This Maintenance Scheduleoutlines the minimum requiredmaintenance that you shouldperform to ensure the trouble-free operation of your vehicle.Due to regional and climaticdifferences, some additionalservicing may be required.Please consult your warrantyhandbook for a more detaileddescription.

Maintenance

Maintenance Schedule (Severe Conditions)

Follow the Severe MaintenanceSchedule if you drive yourvehicle MAINLY under one ormore of the followingconditions:

Driving less than 8 km (5miles) per trip or, in freezingtemperatures, driving lessthan 16 km (10 miles) per trip.Driving in extremely hot[over 90°F (32° C)] conditions.Extensive idling or longperiods of stop-and-go driving.Driving with a car-top carrier,or driving in mountainousconditions.Driving on muddy, dusty, orde-iced roads.

NOTE: If you onlyOCCASIONALLY drive under a"severe" condition, you shouldfollow the Normal ConditionsMaintenance Schedule on theprevious page.

Maintenance

Required Maintenance Record

Maintenance

Have your servicing dealer record all Required Maintenance below. Keep receipts for all work done on your car.

Non-Scheduled Maintenance Record

Record additional maintenance for severe driving conditions or non-scheduled maintenance on this page (see page 121 ).

Maintenance

Periodic Checks

You should check the followingitems at the specified intervals. Ifyou are unsure of how to performany check, turn to the page given.

Engine oil level — Check everytime you fill the fuel tank. Seepage 94.

Engine coolant level — Check theradiator reserve tank every timeyou fill the fuel tank. See page 95.

Windshield washer fluid — Checkthe level in the reservoir monthly.If weather conditions cause you touse the washers frequently, checkthe reservoir each time you stopfor fuel. See page 136.

Automatic transmission — Checkthe fluid level monthly. See page137.

Brakes, clutch and power steering— Check the fluid level monthly.See pages 139 and 140.

Tires — Check the tire pressuremonthly. Examine the tread forwear and foreign objects. See page151.

Battery — Check its condition andthe terminals for corrosionmonthly. See page 145.

Air conditioning - Check itsoperation weekly. See page 150.

Lights — Check the operation ofthe headlights, parking lights,taillights, high-mount brake light,turn signals, auxiliary lights, brakelights, and license plate lightsmonthly. See page 157.

Maintenance

Fluid Locations

ANTI-LOCK BRAKERESERVOIR(Gray cap)

AUTOMATICTRANSMISSIONFLUID DIPSTICK(Yellow loop)

COOLANTRESERVOIR

BRAKE FLUID(Gray cap)

CLUTCH FLUID(5-M/T only)(Gray cap)

ENGINE OILFILL CAP

POWER STEERINGFLUID (Red cap)

WASHER FLUID(Blue cap)

ENGINE OIL DIPSTICK(Orange loop)

Maintenance

Engine Oil

Checking Engine Oil

DIPSTICK

Check the engine oil a couple ofminutes after shutting off the engine.This will allow the oil to drain downto the bottom of the engine. Makesure the car is parked on levelground.

1. Pull out the dipstick (orange loop)and wipe it with a cloth or papertowel.

2. Insert it all the way back in its tube.

3. Pull it out again and look at the oillevel at the end of the dipstick. If itis between the upper and lowermarks, the level is correct. Add oilif the level is at or below the lowermark.

Adding

To add oil, unscrew and remove theengine oil fill cap on top of the valvecover. Pour in the oil, and replace theengine oil fill cap. Tighten it securely.Wait a few minutes and recheck theoil level. Do not fill above the uppermark; you could damage the engine.

Maintenance

UPPER MARK

LOWER MARKVTEC engine shown

ENGINE OIL FILL CAP

Engine Oil

Recommended OilOil is a major contributor to yourengine's performance and longevity.Always use a premium-grade deter-gent oil.

You can determine an oil's SAEviscosity and Service Classificationfrom the API Service label on the oilcontainer.

A fuel-efficient oil is recommendedfor your Honda. This is shown on theAPI Service label by the words"Energy Conserving I I . " This oil isformulated to help your engine useless fuel.

The API Service label also tells youthe service classification of the oil.Always use an oil that says "APIService SG or SH." This servicerating may also include otherdesignations, such as CD. Theseadditional classifications are not aproblem, as long as the label alsocarries the SG or SH classification.An oil that is only classified SF is notrecommended.

The oil container may also displaythe API Certification mark shownbelow. Make sure it says "ForGasoline Engines."

API CERTIFICATION MARK

CONTINUED

Maintenance

API SERVICE LABEL

* * : SG or SH

Engine Oil

The SAE numbers tell you the oil'sviscosity or weight. Select the oil foryour car according to this chart.

Ambient Temperature

An oil with a viscosity of 5W-30 ispreferred for improved fuel economyand year-round protection in yourHonda. You may use a 10W-30 oil ifthe temperature in your area nevergoes below 20°F ( — 7°C).

AdditivesYour Honda does not need any oiladditives. Purchasing additives forthe engine or transmission will notincrease your car's performance orlongevity. It only increases the costof operating your car.

Oil and Filter ChangesAlways change the oil and filteraccording to the time and distancerecommendations in the mainte-nance schedule. The oil and filtercollect contaminants that can dam-age your engine if they are notremoved regularly.Changing the oil and filter requiresspecial tools and access fromunderneath the car. The car shouldbe raised on a service station-typehydraulic lift for this service. Unlessyou have the knowledge and properequipment, you should have thismaintenance done by a skilledmechanic.

Maintenance

Engine Oil

1. Run the engine until it reachesnormal operating temperature,then shut it off.

2. Open the hood and remove theengine oil fill cap. Remove the oildrain bolt from the bottom of theengine. Drain the oil into anappropriate container.

3. Remove the oil filter and let theremaining oil drain. A specialwrench (available from yourHonda dealer) is required toremove the filter.

4. Install a new oil filter according toinstructions that come with it.

CONTINUED

Maintenance

OIL FILTER

OIL DRAIN BOLT WASHER

Engine Oil

5. Put a new washer on the drain bolt,then reinstall the drain bolt.Tighten it to:45 N.m (4.5 kg-m , 33 Ib-ft)

6. Refill the engine with the recom-mended oil.Engine oil change capacity(including filter):(S, Si)3.3 (3.5 US qt, 2.9 Imp qt)(VTEC)4.0 (4.2 US qt, 3.5 Imp qt)

7. Replace the engine oil fill cap.Start the engine. The oil pressureindicator light should go out withinfive seconds. If it does not, turn offthe engine and reinspect yourwork.

8. Let the engine run for severalminutes and check the drain boltand oil filter for leaks.

9. Turn off the engine, let it sit forseveral minutes, then check the oillevel. If necessary, add oil to bringthe level to the upper mark on thedipstick.

If you change your own oil, pleasedispose of the used oil properly. Put itin a sealed container and take it to arecycling center. Do not discard it in atrash bin or dump it on the ground.

The oil and filter should be changedevery 6 months or 12,000 km (7,500miles), whichever comes first. Undersevere driving conditions, theyshould be changed every 3 monthsor 6,000 km (3,750 miles). See page121 for a description of severe

driving conditions.

Maintenance

NOTICE

Cooling System

Checking the Engine CoolantLevel

RESERVE TANK

Check the level of the engine coolantby looking at the radiator reservetank near the right headlight. If thelevel is at or below the MIN line, addcoolant to bring it up to the MAX line.Inspect the cooling system for leaks.This coolant should always be amixture of 50% antifreeze and 50%water. Never add straight antifreezeor plain water.

Always use Genuine Honda Anti-freeze/Coolant. The cooling systemcontains many aluminum compo-nents which can corrode if animproper antifreeze is used. Someantifreeze, even though labeled assafe for aluminum parts, may notprovide adequate protection.

Adding Engine CoolantIf the reserve tank is completelyempty, you should also check thecoolant level in the radiator.

1. Make sure the engine and radiatorare cool.

CONTINUED

Maintenance

MAX

MIN

Removing the radiator capwhile the engine is hot cancause the coolant to spray out,seriously scalding you.

Always let the engine andradiator cool down beforeremoving the radiator cap.

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Cooling System

RADIATOR CAP

2. Turn the radiator cap counter-clockwise, without pressing downon it, until it stops. This relievesany pressure remaining in thecooling system.

3. Remove the radiator cap bypushing down and turningcounterclockwise.

RESERVETANK

4. The coolant level should be up tothe base of the filler neck. Addcoolant if it is low.

5. Put the radiator cap back on.Tighten it fully.

6. Pour coolant into the reserve tank.Fill it to halfway between the MAXand MIN marks. Put the cap backon the reserve tank.

Do not add any rust inhibitors orother additives to your car's coolingsystem. They may not be compatiblewith the coolant or engine compo-nents.

Maintenance

Cooling System

Replacing Engine CoolantThe cooling system should becompletely drained and refilled withnew coolant according to the timeand distance recommendations inthe maintenance schedule. Only userecommended antifreeze.

Draining the coolant requires accessto the underside of the car. Unlessyou have the tools and knowledge,you should have this maintenancedone by a skilled mechanic.

1. Slide the heater temperaturecontrol lever to maximum heat.Open the hood. Make sure theengine and radiator are cool to thetouch.

2. Remove the radiator cap.

3. Loosen the drain plug on thebottom of the radiator. Thecoolant will drain through thesplash guard. Remove the drainbolt from the engine block.

CONTINUED

Maintenance

DRAINPLUG

DRAINBOLT

Cooling System

RESERVE TANK RESERVETANK CAP

HOLDER

4. Remove the reserve tank from itsholder by pulling it straight up.Drain the coolant, then put thetank back in its holder.

5. When the coolant stops draining,tighten the drain plug in thebottom of the radiator. Apply non-hardening sealant to the drain boltthreads and reinstall the bolt inthe engine block. Tighten itsecurely.

FILLER NECK

Fill up to here

6. Mix the recommended antifreezewith an equal amount of purifiedor distilled water in a cleancontainer. The cooling systemcapacity is:

With manual transmission:(S, Si)3.6 (0.95 US gal, 0.79 Imp gal)(VTEC)3.9 (1.03 US gal, 0.86 Imp gal)

With automatic transmission:(S)3.5 (0.92 US gal, 0.77 Imp gal)(Si)3.8 (1.00 US gal, 0.84 Imp gal)

7. Pour coolant into the radiator upto the base of the filler neck.

Maintenance

Cooling System

BLEEDER BOLT

8. Loosen the bleeder bolt on top ofthe engine. Tighten it again whencoolant comes out in a steadystream with no bubbles.

9. Refill the radiator to the base ofthe filler neck. Put the cap on theradiator, only tighten it to the firststop. Start the engine and let it rununtil it warms up (the radiatorcooling fan comes on at leasttwice).

RESERVETANK

10.Turn off the engine. Check thelevel in the radiator, add coolant ifneeded. Install the radiator cap,tighten it fully.

11. Fill the reserve tank to the MAXmark. Install the reserve tank cap.

Maintenance

Windshield Washers

RESERVOIR

Check the level in the windshieldwasher reservoir at least monthlyduring normal usage. In bad weather,when you use the washers often,check the level every time you stopfor fuel.

The windshield washer reservoir islocated behind the left headlight.Check the reservoir's fluid level byremoving the cap and looking inside.

Fill the reservoir with a good-qualitywindshield washer fluid. Thisincreases the cleaning capability andprevents freezing in cold weather.

Do not use engine antifreeze or avinegar/water solution in thewindshield washer reservoir.

Antifreeze can damage your car's paint,while a vinegar/water solution candamage the windshield washer pump.

Use only commercially-availablewindshield washer fluid.

Maintenance

NOTICE

Transmission Oil


Check the fluid level with the engineat normal operating temperature.

1. Park the car on level ground. Shutoff the engine.

2. Remove the dipstick (yellow loop)from the transmission and wipe itwith a clean cloth.

UPPER MARKLOWER MARK

3. Insert the dipstick all the way intothe transmission securely asshown in the illustration.

4. Remove the dipstick and checkthe fluid level. It should bebetween the upper and lowermarks.

5. If the level is below the lowermark, add fluid into the tube tobring it to the upper mark. UseHonda Premium Formula Auto-matic Transmission Fluid or anequivalent DEXRON® II Auto-matic Transmission Fluid (ATF)only.

6. Insert the dipstick all the way backinto the transmission securely asshown in the illustration.

The transmission should be drainedand refilled with new fluid every 24months or 48,000 km (30,000 miles),whichever comes first. Shorten thisto every 12 months or 24,000 km(15,000 miles) under severe drivingconditions (see page 121 ).

Maintenance

DIPSTICK

Transmission Oil


Check the oil level a couple of mi-nutes after shutting off the engine.Make sure the car is on level ground.Remove the transmission filler bolt.The oil level should be up to theedge of the bolt hole. Feel inside thebolt hole with your finger. If you donot feel any oil, slowly add oil until itstarts to run out of the hole. Reinstallthe filler bolt and tighten it securely.

Only use an API Service SF or SGgrade motor oil with a viscosity ofSAE 10W-30 or 10W-40.

The transmission should be drainedand refilled with new oil every 24months or 48,000 km (30,000 miles),whichever comes first. Shorten theservice interval to every 12 monthsor 24,000 km (15,000 miles) undersevere driving conditions (see page121 )..

Maintenance

FILLER BOLT

Correctlevel

Brake and Clutch Fluid

Check the fluid level in the reser-voirs monthly. There are up to threereservoirs, depending on model.They are:

Brake fluid reservoirClutch fluid reservoir (manualtransmission only)ABS reservoir (cars with ABS)

The brake fluid in the brake andAnti-lock brake systems should bereplaced every 2 years or 48,000 km(30,000 miles), whichever comesfirst.

Brake System

The fluid should be between theMIN and MAX marks on the side ofthe reservoir. If the level is at orbelow the MIN mark, it is anindication that your brake systemneeds attention. Have the brakesystem inspected for leaks or wornbrake pads.

If you add brake fluid to bring it upto the MAX mark, use GenuineHonda Brake Fluid or an equivalentfrom a sealed container that ismarked DOT3 or DOT4 only. Brakefluid marked DOT5 is not compatiblewith your car's braking system.

Maintenance

MAX

MIN

Brake and Clutch Fluid

Anti-lock Brake System

The fluid should be between theMIN and MAX marks on the side ofthe reservoir. If it is at or below theMIN mark, it may indicate a problemin the braking system. Have thedealer inspect your car.

If the fluid level is half an inch ormore above the MAX mark, it mayindicate a problem in the ABS. Haveyour dealer inspect the system assoon as possible.

If you add brake fluid to bring it upto the MAX mark, use the sameDOT3 or DOT4 brake fluid from asealed container specified for thebrake system.

Clutch System

The fluid should be between theMIN and MAX marks on the side ofthe reservoir. If it is not, add brakefluid to bring it up to that level. Usethe same DOT3 or DOT4 brake fluidfrom a sealed container specified forthe brake system.

Low fluid level can indicate a leak inthe clutch system. Have this systeminspected as soon as possible.

Maintenance

MAX

MIN

Power Steering

You should check the fluid level inthe power steering reservoirmonthly. Check the level when theengine is cold. Look at the side ofthe reservoir. The fluid should bebetween the UPPER LEVEL andLOWER LEVEL. If it is below theLOWER LEVEL, add power steeringfluid to the UPPER LEVEL.

Using automatic transmission fluid oranother brand of power steering fluidwill damage the system. Use onlyGENUINE HONDA Power SteeringFluid-V.

A low power steering fluid level canindicate a leak in the system. Checkthe fluid level frequently and havethe system inspected as soon aspossible.

Turning the steering wheel to full leftor right lock and holding it there candamage the power steering pump.

Maintenance

UPPERLEVEL

LOWERLEVEL

NOTICE

NOTICE

Air Cleaner

The air cleaner element should bereplaced every 2 years or 48,000 km(30,000 miles), whichever comesfirst. Under severe driving condi-tions, it should be replaced every 12months or 24,000 km (15,000 miles),whichever comes first.

The air cleaner element is inside thebox on the passenger's side of theengine compartment.To replace it:

1. Loosen the four bolts and removethe air cleaner housing cover.

2. Remove the old air cleanerelement.Clean the inside of the air cleanerhousing with a damp rag.

3. Place the new air cleaner elementin the air cleaner housing.

4. Reinstall the air cleaner housingcover, lighten the four bolts.

Maintenance

BOLTS AIR CLEANER ELEMENT

Spark Plugs

(S, Si)The original spark plugs in your carneed to be replaced every 2 years or48,000 km (30,000 miles), whichevercomes first.

(VTEC)The original spark plugs in your carare a special platinum-tipped designfor longer life. They only need to bereplaced every 6 years or 96,000 km(60,000 miles), whichever comesfirst.

Replacement

1. VTEC Only:Remove the four nuts, thenremove the spark plug cover.

2. Clean up any dirt and oil aroundthe spark plug caps.

3. Remove the spark plug cap bypulling it straight out.

4. Remove the spark plug, using a 16mm (5/8 inch) spark plug socket.

CONTINUED

Maintenance

SPARK PLUG CAP

Spark Plugs

5. Put the new spark plug into thesocket, then thread it into the hole.Screw it in by hand so you do notcrossthread it.

6. Torque the spark plug. (If you donot have a torque wrench, tightenthe spark plug 2/3 turn after itcontacts the cylinder head.)Tightening torque:18 N.m (1.8 kg-m, 13 Ib-ft)

Tighten the spark plugs carefully. Aspark plug that is too loose canoverheat and damage the engine.Overtightening can cause damage tothe threads in the cylinder head.

7. Install the spark plug cap.

8. Repeat this procedure for theother three spark plugs.(VTEC)Reinstall the plug wire cover andtighten the four nuts.

Maintenance

NOTICE

Spark Plugs, Battery

Specifications:

(S)Normal driving conditions

NGK: ZFR5F-11Nippondenso: KJ16CR-L11

Hot climates, or continuous highspeed driving

NGK: ZFR6F-11Nippondenso: KJ20CR-L11

Spark Plug Gap:1.1 mm (0.04 in)

(Si)Normal driving conditions

NGK: ZFR5J-11Nippondenso: KJ16CR-L11

Hot climates, or continuous highspeed driving

NGK: ZFR6J-11Nippondenso: KJ20CR-L11


(VTEC)NGK: PFR6L-13Nippondenso: PK20PR-L13


BatteryCheck the condition of your car'sbattery monthly. You should checkfor proper electrolyte level andcorrosion on the terminals.

CONTINUED

Maintenance

The battery contains sulfuricacid (electrolyte) which is highlycorrosive and poisonous.

Getting electrolyte in your eyesor on your skin can causeserious burns.

Wear protective clothing andeye protection when workingnear the battery.

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Battery

Emergency Procedures

Eyes — Flush with water from a cupor other container for at least fifteenminutes. (Water under pressure candamage the eye.) Immediately call aphysician or 911.

Skin — Remove contaminatedclothing. Flush the skin with largequantities of water. Call a physicianimmediately.

Swallowing — Drink water or milk.Call your local Poison Control Centeror a physician immediately.

Check the battery condition bylooking at the test indicator windowon the battery:

Blue — Good conditionRed — Add distilled waterWhite — Charging necessary

Check the battery terminals forcorrosion (a white or yellowishpowder). To remove it, cover theterminals with a solution of bakingsoda and water. It will bubble up andturn brown. When this stops, wash itoff with plain water. Dry off thebattery with a cloth or paper towel.Coat the terminals with grease tohelp prevent future corrosion.

Maintenance

TEST INDICATOR WINDOW

Battery

If the terminals are severely cor-roded, clean them with baking sodaand water. Then use a wrench toloosen and remove the cables fromthe terminals. Always disconnect thenegative ( — ) cable first and recon-nect it last. Clean the battery termi-nals with a terminal cleaning tool orwire brush. Reconnect and tightenthe cables, then coat the terminalswith grease.

If you need to connect the battery toa charger, disconnect both cables toprevent damage to the car's electri-cal system.

On Si and VTEC modelsIf your car's battery is disconnectedor goes dead, the audio system willdisable itself. The next time you turnon the radio you will see "Code" inthe frequency display. Use thePreset buttons to enter the five-digitcode (see page 88).

Charging the battery with the cablesconnected can seriously damage yourcar's electronic controls. Detach thebattery cables before connecting thebattery to a charger.

Maintenance

The battery gives off explosivehydrogen gas during normaloperation.

A spark or flame can cause thebattery to explode with enoughforce to kill or seriously hurt you.

Wear protective clothing and aface shield, or have a skilledmechanic do the batterymaintenance.

NOTICE

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Windshield Wipers

Check the condition of the wind-shield wiper blades at least every sixmonths. Look for signs of crackingin the rubber, or areas that aregetting hard. Replace the blades ifyou find these signs, or they leavestreaks and unwiped areas whenused.

To replace:

1. Raise the wiper arm off thewindshield.

2. Disconnect the blade assemblyfrom the wiper arm by pushing inthe lock tab. Hold it in while youpush the blade assembly towardthe base of the arm.

Maintenance

WIPER ARMS

LOCK TAB

Windshield Wipers

3. Remove the blade from its holderby grasping the tabbed end of theblade. Pull firmly until the tabscome out of the holder.

4. Examine the new wiper blades. Ifthey have no plastic or metal rein-forcement along the back edge,remove the metal reinforcementstrips from the old wiper blade andinstall them in the slots along theedge of the new blade.

5. Slide the new wiper blade into theholder until the tabs lock.

6. Slide the new blade assembly ontothe wiper arm. Make sure it locksin place.

7. Lower the wiper arm down againstthe windshield.

Maintenance

REINFORCEMENT

BLADE BLADE

Air Conditioning (Optional)

Your car's air conditioning is a sealedsystem. Any major maintenance,such as recharging, should be doneby a qualified technician. There are acouple of things you can do to makesure the air conditioning worksefficiently.

Periodically check the engine'sradiator and air conditioningcondenser for leaves, insects, anddirt stuck to the front surface. Theseblock the air flow and reduce coolingefficiency. Use a light spray from ahose or a soft brush to remove them.

The condenser and radiator fins bendeasily. Only use a low-pressure sprayor soft-bristle brush to clean them.

Run the air conditioning at least oncea week during the cold weathermonths. Run it for at least tenminutes while you are driving at asteady speed with the engine atnormal operating temperature. Thiscirculates the lubricating oil con-tained in the refrigerant.

If the air conditioning does not get ascold as before, have your dealercheck the system. Recharge thesystem with Refrigerant HFC-134a(R-134a). (See Specifications on page199 .)

Whenever you have the air conditioningsystem serviced, make sure the servicefacility uses a refrigerant recyclingsystem. This system captures therefrigerant for reuse. Releasingrefrigerant into the atmosphere candamage the environment.

Maintenance

NOTICENOTICE

AIR CONDITIONINGCONDENSER

Drive Belts, Tires

Drive Belts

ALTERNATOR BELT

POWER STEERING BELT

Check the condition of the two drivebelts. Examine the edges of eachbelt for cracks or fraying.Check the tension of each belt bypushing on it with your thumbmidway between the pulleys.

The belts should have the following"play" or deflection.

Alternator belt:7.0 — 10.5 mm (0.28 — 0.41 in)Power steering belt:8.0 — 12.0 mm (0.31 — 0.47 in)

If you see signs of wear or looseness,have your dealer adjust or replacethe belts.

TiresTo safely operate your car, your tiresmust be the proper type and size, ingood condition with adequate tread,and correctly inflated. The followingpages give more detailed informationon how and when to check airpressure, how to inspect your tiresfor damage, and what to do whenyour tires need to be replaced.

Maintenance

Using tires that are excessivelyworn or improperly inflated cancause a crash in which you canbe seriously hurt or killed.

Follow all instructions in thisowner's manual regarding tireinflation and maintenance.

ldc_24

Tires

InflationKeeping the tires properly inflatedprovides the best combination ofhandling, tread life and ridingcomfort. Underinflated tires wearunevenly, adversely affect handlingand fuel economy, and are morelikely to fail from being overheated.Overinflated tires can make your carride more harshly, are more prone todamage from road hazards, and wearunevenly.

We recommend that you visuallycheck your tires every day and use agauge to measure the air pressure atleast once a month. If you think a tiremight be low, check it immediately.Remember to check the spare tire atthe same time you check all theother tires.

Check the pressure in the tires whenthey are cold. This means the carhas been parked for at least threehours. If you have to drive the car

before checking the tire pressure,the tires can still be considered"cold" if you drive less than 1.6 km(1 mile).

If you check the pressure when thetires are hot (the car has been drivenseveral miles), you will see readings28 to 41 kPa (0.3 to 0.4 kg/cm2, 4 to6 psi) higher than the cold reading.This is normal. Do not let air out tomatch the specified cold pressure.The tire will be underinflated.

Recommended Tire Pressures forNormal DrivingThe following chart shows therecommended cold tire pressures formost normal driving conditions andspeeds. Tire pressures for highspeed driving are shown on page202 .

The compact spare tire pressure is:415 kPa (4.15 kg/cm2, 60 psi)

These pressures are also given onthe tire information label in the glovebox.

Maintenance

(S)

(Si)

(VTEC)

Tires

You should get your own tirepressure gauge and use it wheneveryou check your tire pressures. Thiswill make it easier for you to tell if apressure loss is due to a tire problemand not due to a variation betweengauges.

Tubeless tires have some ability toself-seal if they are punctured.However, because leakage is oftenvery slow, you should look closelyfor punctures if a tire starts losingpressure.

InspectionEvery time you check inflation, youshould also examine the tires fordamage, foreign objects, and wear.

You should look for:

Bumps or bulges in the tread orside of the tire. Replace the tire ifyou find either of these conditions.

Cuts, splits, or cracks in the sideof the tire. Replace the tire if youcan see fabric or tread.

Excessive tread wear.

Your car's tires have wear indicatorsmolded into the tread. When thetread wears down to that point, youwill see a 12.7 mm (1/2 inch) wideband running across the tread. Thisshows there is less than 1.6 mm(1/16 inch) of tread left on the tire.A tire that is this worn gives verylittle traction on wet roads. Youshould replace the tire if you can seethe tread wear indicator in three ormore places around the tire.

MaintenanceIn addition to proper inflation,correct wheel alignment helps todecrease tire wear. If you find a tireis worn unevenlly, have your dealercheck the wheel alignment.

CONTINUED

Maintenance

INDICATORLOCATIONMARKS

TREAD WEARINDICATORS

Tires

The tires were properly balanced bythe factory. They may need to berebalanced at some time before theyare worn out. Have your dealercheck the tires if you feel a consis-tent vibration while driving. A tireshould always be rebalanced if it isremoved from the wheel for repair.

Make sure the installer balances thewheels when you have new tiresinstalled. This increases ridingcomfort and tire life. Your car'soriginal tires were dynamic or "spin"balanced at the factory. For bestresults, have the installer perform adynamic balance.

(Si and VTEC models)Improper wheel weights can damageyour car's aluminum wheels. Use onlygenuine Honda wheel weights forbalancing.

Tire Rotation

To help increase tire life anddistribute wear more evenly, youshould have the tires rotated every12,000 km (7,500 miles). Move thetires to the positions shown in thechart each time they are rotated.

You may find tires designated as"Directional Tires" on the market.Those tires are designed to turn onlyin one direction. This direction isindicated on the sidewall of the tireby the turning direction indicator.

Replacing Tires and WheelsThe tires that came with your carwere selected to match the perform-ance capabilities of the car whileproviding the best combination ofhandling, ride comfort, and long life.You should replace them with radialtires of the same size, load range,speed rating, and maximum cold tirepressure rating (as shown on thetire's sidewall). Mixing radial andbias-ply tires on your car can reduceits braking ability, traction, andsteering accuracy.

Maintenance

NOTICE

Front Front

(For Non-directional Tiresand Wheels)

(For DirectionalTires and Wheels)

Tires

It is best to replace all four tires atthe same time. If that is not possibleor necessary, then replace the twofront tires or the two rear tires as apair. Replacing just one tire canseriously affect your car's handling.

The ABS works by comparing thespeed of the wheels. When replacingtires, use the same size originallysupplied with the car. Tire size andconstruction can affect wheel speedand may cause the system to work in-consistently.

If you ever need to replace a wheel,make sure the wheel's specificationsmatch those of the original wheelthat came on your car. Replacementwheels are available at your Hondadealer.

Wheels and Tires

Wheel:(S)

13 x 5J(Si, VTEC)

14 x 5 1/2 JJTire:(S)

P175/70R13 82S(Si)

P185/60R14 82H(VTEC)

P195/60R14 85V

See Tire Information on page 201 foradditional information about tire andwheel size designations. See page202 for information about DOT Tire

Quality Grading.

Winter DrivingTires that are marked "M + S" or"All Season" on the sidewall have anall-weather tread design. Theyshould be suitable for most winterdriving conditions. Tires withoutthese markings are designed foroptimum traction in dry conditions.They may not provide adequateperformance in winter driving.For the best performance in snowyor icy conditions, you should installsnow tires or tire chains. They maybe required by local laws undercertain conditions.

CONTINUED

Maintenance

Installing improper tires on yourcar can affect handling andstability. This can cause a crashin which you can be seriouslyhurt or killed.

Always use the size and type oftires recommended in thisowner's manual.

Tires

Snow TiresIf you mount snow tires on yourHonda, make sure they are radialtires of the same size and load rangeas the original tires. Mount snowtires on all four wheels to balanceyour car's handling in all weatherconditions. Keep in mind the tractionprovided by snow tires on dry roadsmay not be as high as your car'soriginal equipment tires. You shoulddrive cautiously even when the roadsare clear. Check with the tire dealerfor maximum speed recommenda-tions.

Tire ChainsMount snow chains on your carwhen warranted by driving condi-tions or required by local laws. Makesure the chains are the correct sizefor your tires. Install them only onthe front tires. If metal chains areused, they must be SAE class "S".Cable type traction devices can alsobe used.

When installing chains, follow themanufacturer's instructions andmount them as tightly as you can.Drive slowly with chains installed. Ifyou hear the chains contacting thebody or chassis, stop and tightenthem. If they still make contact, slowdown until it stops. Remove thechains as soon as you begin drivingon cleared roads.

Chains of the wrong size or that areimproperly installed can damage yourcar's brake lines, suspension, body, andwheels. Stop driving if you hear thechains hitting any part of the car.

Maintenance

NOTICE

Lights

Check the operation of your car'sexterior lights at least once a month.A burned out bulb can create anunsafe condition by reducing yourcar's visibility and the ability tosignal your intentions to otherdrivers.Check the following:

Headlights (low and high beam)Auxiliary lightsParking lightsTaillightsBrake lightsTurn signalsBack-up lightsHazard light functionLicense plate lightSide marker lightsDaytime running lights(Canadian cars)

If you find any bulbs are burned out,replace them as soon as possible.Refer to the chart on page 199 todetermine what type of replacementbulb is needed.

Replacing a Headlight BulbYour car has halogen headlightbulbs, one on each side. Whenreplacing a bulb, handle it by its steelbase and protect the glass fromcontact with your skin or hardobjects. If you touch the glass, cleanit with denatured alcohol and a cleancloth.

Halogen headlight bulbs get very hotwhen lit. Oil, perspiration, or a scratchon the glass can cause the bulb tooverheat and shatter.

1. Open the hood.If you need to change theheadlight bulb on the passenger'sside, remove the air intake tube bypulling it straight up.

2. Remove the electrical connectorfrom the bulb by pulling theconnector straight back.

CONTINUED

Maintenance

NOTICEHOLD-DOWN WIRE

CONNECTORBULB

Lights

3. Remove the rubber weather sealby pulling on the tab.

4. Unclip the end of the hold-downwire from its slot. Pivot it out ofthe way and remove the bulb.

5. Insert the new bulb into the hole,making sure the tabs are in theirslots. Pivot the hold-down wireback in place and clip the end intothe slot.

6. Push the rubber weather seal overthe bulb.

7. Push the electrical connector ontothe tabs of the new bulb.Turn on the headlights to test thenew bulb.

8. (Passenger's side)Reinstall the air intake tube.

Replacing an Auxiliary Light Bulb

The auxiliary lights are located nextto the headlights.

1. Open the hood.

2. Remove the socket by turning itone-quarter turn counterclockwise.

3. Remove the burned-out bulb fromits socket. To remove the bulb,push it in slightly and turn itcounterclockwise.

4. Insert the new bulb in the socket.Reinstall the socket.

5. Test the bulb by turning on theheadlights (low beam) andauxiliary lights.

Maintenance

Lights

Replacing the Front Side Marker/Turn Signal and Parking LightBulb

1. Use a Phillips-head screwdriver toremove the screw from the top ofthe fender.

2. Move the side marker lightassembly forward until it slides outof the body.

3. Turn the socket one-quarter turncounterclockwise to remove itfrom the lens.

4. Remove the bulb by pushing it inslightly and turning it counter-clockwise.

5. Install the new bulb in the socket.Turn it clockwise to lock it in place.

6. Insert the socket back into thelens. Turn it clockwise to lock it inplace.

7. Turn on the parking lights tomake sure the new bulb works.

8. To reinstall the light assembly inthe fender, line up the guide onthe assembly with the metal tabnext to the headlight and line upthe fingers on the light assemblywith the holes in the fender. Pushthe light assembly straight back.

9. Install the mounting screw andtighten it securely.

Maintenance

SCREW BULB

SOCKET

Lights

Replacing Rear Bulbs

1. Open the trunk.When replacing a bulb in the rightassembly, remove the jack first.

2. Use a Phillips-head screwdriver toremove the two screws and pulloff the lining.

3. Determine which of the four bulbsis burned out: tail/stoplight, back-up light, turn signal, or sidemarker. Remove the socket forthat bulb by turning it counter-clockwise.

4. To remove the tail/stoplight bulb,back-up light bulb or the turnsignal bulb, push it in slightly andturn it counterclockwise. Toremove the side marker bulb, pullit straight out of the socket.

5. Install the new bulb in the socket.Insert the socket back in thetaillight assembly and turn it clock-wise to lock it in place.

6. Test the new bulb. Put the liningback and tighten the two screws.

Maintenance

Lights

Replacing a Rear License Bulb

1. Open the trunk.Use a Phillips-head screwdriver toremove the two mounting screws.

2. Pull the assembly away from thebracket.

3. Remove the socket from the lightassembly by turning it one-quarterturn counterclockwise.

4. Pull the bulb straight out of thesocket.

5. Install the new bulb. Test it tomake sure it works.

6. Reinstall the light assembly on thebracket. Install the mountingscrews and tighten them securely.

Replacing Interior and TrunkLight Bulbs

1. Remove the lens by carefullyprying on the edge of the lens inthe middle with a fingernail file ora small flat-tip screwdriver. Do notpry on the edge of the housingaround the lens.

CONTINUED

Maintenance

INTERIOR LIGHT

Lights

2. Remove the bulb by pulling itstraight out of its metal tabs.

3. Push the new bulb into the metaltabs. Snap the lens back in place.

Maintenance

TRUNK LIGHT

Storing Your Car

If you need to park your car for anextended period (more than 1month), there are several things youshould do to prepare it for storage.Proper preparation helps preventdeterioration and makes it easier toget your car back on the road. It isbest to store your car indoors if at allpossible.

Fill the fuel tank.

Change the engine oil and filter(see page 128).

Wash and dry the exteriorcompletely.

Clean the interior. Make sure thecarpeting, floor mats, etc. arecompletely dry.

Leave the parking brake off. Putthe transmission in Reverse(manual) or Park (automatic).

Block the rear wheels.

If the car is to be stored for alonger period, it should besupported on jackstands so thetires are off the ground.

Leave one window open slightly (ifthe car is being stored indoors).

Disconnect the battery.

Support the front wiper bladearms with a folded towel or rag sothey do not touch the windshield.

Apply a silicone spray lubricant toall door and trunk seals. Also,apply wax to the painted surfacesthat mate with the door and trunkseals.

Cover the car with a "breathable"car cover, one made from a porousmaterial such as cotton.Nonporous materials, such asplastic sheeting, trap moisturewhich can damage the paint.

If possible, run the engine for awhile periodically (preferably oncea month).

If you store your car for 12 monthsor longer, have your Honda dealerperform the inspections called for inthe 24 months/48,000 km (30,000miles) maintenance schedule(Normal Conditions) as soon as youtake it out of storage (see page 120).The replacements called for in themaintenance schedule are notneeded unless the car has actuallyreached that time or mileage.

Maintenance

Appearance Care

Regular cleaning and polishing ofyour Honda helps to keep it "new"looking. This section gives you hintson how to clean and preserve yourcar's appearance: the paint, bright-work, wheels and interior. Alsoincluded are several things you cando to help prevent corrosion.

Exterior Care.................................. 166Washing...................................... 166Waxing........................................ 167Paint Touch-up........................... 167Aluminum Wheels..................... 168

Interior Care................................... 169Carpeting.................................... 169Fabric.......................................... 169Vinyl............................................ 169Seat Belts.................................... 169Windows..................................... 170Air Fresheners........................... 170

Corrosion Protection..................... 170Body Repairs.................................. 171

Appearance Care

Exterior Care

WashingFrequent washing helps preserveyour car's beauty. Dirt and grit canscratch the paint, while tree sap andbird droppings can permanently ruinthe finish.

Wash your car in a shady area, not indirect sunlight. If the car is parked inthe sun, move it into the shade andlet the exterior cool down before youstart.

Chemical solvents and strong cleanerscan damage the paint, metal, andplastic on your car.

Rinse the car thoroughly with coolwater to remove loose dirt.

Fill a bucket with cool water. Mixin a mild detergent, such asdishwashing liquid or a productmade especially for car washing.

Wash the car, using the water anddetergent solution and a soft-bristle brush, sponge, or soft cloth.Start at the top and work your waydown. Rinse frequently.

Check the body for road tar, treesap, etc. Remove these stains withtar remover or turpentine. Rinse itoff immediately so it does notharm the finish. Remember to re-wax these areas, even if the rest ofthe car does not need waxing.

When you have washed and rinsedthe whole exterior, dry it with achamois or soft towel. Letting itair-dry will cause dulling and waterspots.

As you dry the car, inspect it forchips and scratches that could allowcorrosion to start. Repair them withtouch-up paint (see page 167 ).

Appearance Care

NOTICE

Exterior Care

WaxingAlways wash and dry the whole carbefore waxing it. You should waxyour car, including the metal trim,whenever water sits on the surfacein large patches. It should form intobeads or droplets after waxing.

You should use a quality liquid orpaste wax. Apply it according to theinstructions on the container. Ingeneral, there are two types ofproducts:

Waxes — A wax coats the finish andprotects it from damage by exposureto sunlight, air pollution, etc. Youshould use a wax on your Hondawhen it is new.

Polishes — Polishes and cleaner/waxes can restore the shine to paintthat has oxidized and lost some of itsshine. They normally contain mildabrasives and solvents that removethe top layer of the finish. Youshould use a polish on your Honda ifthe finish does not have its originalshine after using a wax.

Cleaning tar, insects, etc. withremovers also takes off the wax.Remember to re-wax those areas,even if the rest of the car does notneed waxing.

Paint Touch-upYour dealer has touch-up paint tomatch your car's color. The colorcode is printed on a sticker on thedriver's doorjamb. Take this code toyour dealer so you are sure to getthe correct color.

CONTINUED

Appearance Care

Exterior Care

Inspect your car for chipped orscratched paint every time you washit. Repair it as soon as possible toprevent corrosion. Use the touch-uppaint on small chips and scratches.More extensive damage should berepaired by a professional.

Examine the chip or scratch closelybefore repairing it. If it does not godown to bare metal, clean it withsoap and water and apply the touch-up paint. If it does go to the metal,apply a coat of primer first. After thisdries, apply the touch-up paint. Buildup the paint in the damaged area tothe level of the surrounding paint.Several thin coats of paint are betterthan one thick coat.

Aluminum WheelsOn Si and VTEC modelsClean your Honda's aluminum alloywheels as you do the rest of theexterior. Wash them with the samesolution, and rinse them thoroughly.

The wheels have a protective clear-coat that keeps the aluminum fromcorroding and tarnishing. Usingharsh chemicals, including somecommercial wheel cleaners, or stiffbrushes can damage this clear-coat.Only use a mild detergent and softbrush or sponge to clean the wheels.

Appearance Care

TOUCH-UPPAINT

Interior Care

CarpetingVacuum the carpeting frequently toremove dirt. Ground-in dirt will makethe carpet wear out faster.Periodically shampoo the carpet tokeep it looking new. Use one of thefoam-type carpet cleaners on themarket. Follow the instructions thatcome with the cleaner, applying itwith a sponge or soft brush. Keepthe carpeting as dry as possible bynot adding water to the foam.

FabricVacuum dirt and dust out of thematerial frequently. For generalcleaning, use a solution of mild soapand lukewarm water, letting it air dry.To clean off stubborn spots, use acommercially-available fabric cleaner.Test it on a hidden area of the fabricfirst, to make sure it does not bleachor stain the fabric. Follow theinstructions that come with thecleaner.

VinylRemove dirt and dust with a vacuumcleaner. Wipe the vinyl with a softcloth dampened in a solution of mildsoap and water. Use the samesolution with a soft-bristle brush onmore difficult spots. You can also usecommercially-available spray orfoam-type vinyl cleaners.

Seat BeltsIf your seat belts get dirty, you canuse a soft brush with a mixture ofmild soap and warm water to cleanthem. Do not use bleach, dye, orcleaning solvents. They can weakenthe belt material. Let the belts air-dry before you use the car.

Appearance Care

Interior Care, Corrosion Protection

WindowsClean the windows, inside and out,with a commercially-available glasscleaner. You can also use a mixtureof one part white vinegar to ten partswater. This will remove the haze thatbuilds up on the inside of thewindows. Use a soft cloth or papertowels to clean all glass and clearplastic surfaces.

The rear window defogger wires arebonded to the inside of the glass.Wiping vigorously up-and-down candislodge and break the defogger wires.When cleaning the rear window, usegentle pressure and wipe side-to-side.

Air FreshenersIf you want to use an air freshener/deodorizer in the interior of your car,it is best to use a solid type. Someliquid air fresheners contain chemi-cals that may cause parts of theinterior trim and fabric to crack ordiscolor.

If you use a liquid air freshener,make sure you fasten it securely so itdoes not spill as you drive.

Corrosion ProtectionTwo factors normally contribute tocausing corrosion in your car:

1. Moisture trapped in body cavities.Dirt and road salt that collects inhollows on the underside of thecar stays damp, promotingcorrosion in that area.

2. Removal of paint and protectivecoatings from the exterior andunderside of the car.

Many corrosion-preventive measuresare built into your Honda. You canhelp keep your car from corrodingby performing some simple periodicmaintenance:

Repair chips and scratches in thepaint as soon as you discover them.

Appearance Care

NOTICE

Corrosion Protection, Body Repairs

Inspect and clean out the drainholes in the bottom of the doorsand body.

Check the floor coverings fordampness. Carpeting and floormats may remain damp for a longtime, especially in winter. Thisdampness can eventually causethe floor panels to corrode.

Use a high-pressure spray to cleanthe underside of your car. This isespecially important in areas thatuse road salt in winter. It is also agood idea in humid climates andareas subject to salt air. Carsequipped with ABS have a sensorand wiring at each wheel. Becareful not to damage them.

Have the corrosion-preventivecoatings on the underside of yourcar inspected and repairedperiodically.

Body RepairsBody repairs can affect your car'sresistance to corrosion. If your carneeds repairs after a collision, payclose attention to the parts used inthe repair and the quality of thework.

Make sure the repair facility usesgenuine Honda replacement bodyparts. Some companies makesheetmetal pieces that seem toduplicate the original Honda bodyparts, but are actually inferior in fit,finish, and corrosion resistance.Once installed, they do not give thesame high-quality appearance.

When reporting your collision to theinsurance company, tell them youwant genuine Honda parts used inthe repair. Although most insurersrecognize the quality of originalparts, some may try to specify thatthe repairs be done with otheravailable parts. You shouldinvestigate this before any repairsare begun.

Take your car to your authorizedHonda dealer for inspection after therepairs are completed. He can makesure that quality materials were used,and that corrosion-preventivecoatings were applied to all repairedand replaced parts.

Appearance Care

Taking Care of the Unexpected

This section covers the more-common problems that motoristsexperience with their cars. It givesyou information about how to safelyevaluate the problem and what to doto correct it. If the problem hasstranded you on the side of the road,you may be able to get going again.If not, you will also find instructionson getting your car towed.

Compact Spare Tire....................... 174Changing a Flat Tire..................... 175If Your Engine Won't Start........... 181

Nothing Happens....................... 181The Starter Operates

Normally................................. 182Jump Starting................................. 182If Your Engine Overheats............. 184Low Oil Pressure........................... 186Charging System Indication......... 187Malfunction Indicator Lamp/

Check Engine Light.................. 188Fuses...............................................189

Checking and Replacing........... 190Towing............................................ 194


Compact Spare Tire

Your car has a compact spare tirethat takes up less space. Use thisspare tire as a temporary replace-ment only. Get your regular tirerepaired or replaced and put back onyour car as soon as you can.

Check the inflation pressure of thecompact spare tire every time youcheck the other tires. It should beinflated to:415 kPa (4.15 kg/cm2 , 60 psi)

Follow these precautions wheneveryou are using the compact spare tire:

Do not exceed 50 mph (80 km/h)under any circumstances.

This tire gives a harsher ride andless traction on some road sur-faces than the regular tire. Usegreater caution while driving onthis tire.

Do not mount snow chains on thecompact spare.

The wheel of the compact sparetire is designed especially to fityour car. Do not use your sparetire on another car unless it is thesame make and model.

The compact spare tire has a shortertread life than a regular tire. Replaceit when you can see the tread wearindicator bars. The replacementshould be the same size and designtire, mounted on the same wheel.The compact spare tire is notdesigned to be mounted on a regularwheel, and the compact wheel is notdesigned for mounting a regular tire.


INDICATORLOCATIONMARK

TREAD WEARINDICATORBAR

Changing a Flat Tire

If you have a flat tire while driving,stop in a safe place to change it.Stopping in traffic or on the shoulderof a busy road is dangerous. Driveslowly along the shoulder until youget to an exit or an area to stop thatis far away from the traffic lanes.

1. Park the car on firm, level groundaway from traffic. Turn on thehazard warning lights and turn theignition to LOCK (0).

2. Put the transmission in Park(automatic) or Reverse (manual).Set the parking brake.

3. Open the trunk and lift up the roofholder.Raise the trunk floor by lifting upon the back edge.

CONTINUED


The car can easily roll off thejack, seriously injuring anyoneunderneath.

Follow the directions forchanging a tire exactly, andnever get under the car when itis supported only by the jack.

ROOF HOLDER

ldc_25


4. Take the tool kit out of the trunk.

5. Unscrew the wing bolt and takethe spare tire out of its well.

6. Turn the jack's end bracketcounterclockwise to loosen it, thenremove the jack.

7. Loosen the four wheel nuts 1/2turn with the wheel wrench.


JACK

SPARE TIRE

TOOL KIT JACK


8. Locate the jacking point nearestthe tire you need to change. It ispointed to by an arrow molded intothe underside of the body. Placethe jack under the jacking point.Turn the end bracket clockwiseuntil the top of the jack contactsthe jacking point. Make sure thejacking point tab is resting on thejack notch.

9. Use the extension and wheelwrench as shown to raise the caruntil the flat tire is off the ground.

10.Remove the wheel nuts and wheelcover. The wheel cover cannot beremoved without first removingthe wheel nuts. Do not attempt toforcibly pry the wheel cover offwith a screwdriver or other tool.

CONTINUED


JACKINGPOINT WHEEL WRENCH

EXTENSION

WHEEL COVER

WHEEL NUTS


11.Remove the flat tire. Temporarilyplace the flat tire on the groundwith the outside surface of thewheel facing up. The outsidesurface contacting the groundcould damage the wheel surface.

12.Before mounting the spare tire,wipe any dirt off the mountingsurface of the wheel and hub witha cloth.

13.Put on the spare tire. Put thewheel nuts back on finger-tight,then tighten them in a crisscrosspattern with the wheel wrenchuntil the wheel is firmly againstthe hub. Do not try to tightenthem fully.


BRAKE HUB


14.Lower the car to the ground andremove the jack.

15.Tighten the wheel nuts securely inthe same crisscross pattern. Havethe wheel nut torque checked atthe nearest automotive servicefacility.Tighten the wheel nuts to:110 N.m (11 kg-m, 80 Ib-ft)

16. On the Si and VTEC modelsRemove the center cap beforestoring the flat tire in the trunkwell.

CONTINUED



17.Place the flat tire face down in thespare tire well.

18.Remove the spacer cone from thewing bolt, turn it over, and put itback on the bolt.

19.Secure the flat tire by screwingthe wing bolt back into its hole.

20.Store the jack in its holder withthe end bracket facing to the rear.Turn the jack's end bracket to lockit in place. Replace the cover.Store the tool kit.

21.Store the wheel cover or centercap in the trunk. Make sure it doesnot get scratched or damaged.

22.Replace the trunk floor.

23.Lower the roof holder, then closethe trunk lid.


SPACER CONEWING BOLT

If Your Engine Won't Start

Diagnosing why your engine won'tstart falls into two areas, dependingon what you hear when you turn thekey to START (III):

You hear nothing, or almostnothing. The engine's startermotor does not operate at all, oroperates very slowly.

You can hear the starter motoroperating normally, but the enginedoes not start up and run.

Nothing Happens or the StarterMotor Operates Very SlowlyWhen you turn the ignition switch toSTART (III), you do not hear thenormal noise of the engine trying tostart. You may hear a clicking soundor 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 pushedall the way to the floor or thestarter will not operate. With anautomatic transmission, it must bein Park or Neutral.

Turn the ignition switch to ON (II).Turn on the headlights and checktheir brightness. If the headlightsare very dim or don't light at all,the battery is discharged. SeeJump Starting on page 182 .

Turn the ignition switch to START(III). If the headlights do not dim,check the condition of the fuses. Ifthe fuses are OK, there is proba-bly something wrong with theelectrical circuit for the ignitionswitch or starter motor. You willneed a qualified technician todetermine the problem. (SeeTowing on page 194 .)

If the headlights dim noticeably orgo out when you try to start theengine, either the battery is dis-charged or the connections arecorroded. Check the condition ofthe battery and terminal connec-tions (see page 145 ). You canthen try jump starting the car froma booster battery (see page 182 ).


If Your Engine Won't Start, Jump Starting

The Starter Operates NormallyIn this case, the starter motorsounds normal when you turn theignition switch to START (III), butthe engine does not run.

Are you using the proper startingprocedure? Refer to Starting theEngine on page 101 .

Do you have fuel? Turn theignition switch to ON (II) for aminute and watch the fuel gauge.The low fuel level warning lightmay not be working, so you werenot reminded to fill the tank.

There may be an electricalproblem, such as no power to thefuel pump. Check all the fuses(see page 189 ).

If you find nothing wrong, you willneed a qualified technician to findthe problem. See Towing on page194 .

Jump StartingIf your car's battery has run down,you may be able to start the engineby using a booster battery. Althoughthis seems like a simple procedure,there are several precautions youshould take. Follow the directionsclosely.

You cannot start a Honda with anautomatic transmission by pushingor pulling it.

To jump start your car:

1. Open the hood and check thephysical condition of the battery(see page 145 ). In very coldweather, check the condition ofthe electrolyte. If it seems slushyor like ice, do not try jump startinguntil it thaws.

If a battery sits in extreme cold, theelectrolyte inside can freeze.Attempting to jump start with a frozenbattery can cause it to rupture orexplode.

2. Turn off all the electrical acces-sories: heater, A/C, stereo system,lights, etc.Put the transmission in Neutral orPark and set the parking brake.


A battery can explode if you donot follow the correct procedure,seriously injuring anyonenearby.

Keep all sparks, open flames,and smoking materials awayfrom the battery.

NOTICE

ldc_26

Jump Starting

3. Connect one jumper cable to thepositive (+ ) terminal on thebooster battery. Connect the otherend to the positive (+ ) terminalon your Honda's battery.

4. Connect the second jumper cableto the negative ( — ) terminal onthe booster battery. Connect theother end to the grounding strapas shown. Do not connect thisjumper cable to any other part ofthe engine.

5. If the booster battery is in anothercar, have an assistant start that carand run it at a fast idle.

6. Start your car. If the starter motorstill operates slowly, check thejumper cable connections to makesure they have good metal-to-metal contact.

7. Once your car is running, discon-nect the negative cable from yourcar, then from the booster battery.Disconnect the positive cable fromyour car, then the booster battery.


BOOSTER BATTERY

If Your Engine Overheats

The pointer of your car's tempera-ture gauge should stay in the mid-range under most conditions. It maygo higher if you are driving up a longsteep hill on a very hot day. If itclimbs to the red mark, you shoulddetermine the reason.

Driving with the temperature gaugepointer at the red mark can causeserious damage to your engine.

Your car can overheat for severalreasons, such as lack of coolant or amechanical problem. The onlyindication may be the temperaturegauge climbing to or above the redmark. Or you may see steam orspray coming from under the hood.In either case, you should takeimmediate action.

1. Safely pull to the side of the road.Put the transmission in neutral orpark and set the parking brake.Turn off the heating and coolingsystem and all other accessories.Turn on the hazard warningindicators.

2. If you see steam and/or spraycoming from under the hood, turnoff the engine.

3. If you do not see steam or spray,leave the engine running andwatch the temperature gauge. Ifthe high heat is due to overloading(climbing a long, steep hill on ahot day with the A/C running, forexample), the engine should startto cool down almost immediately.If it does, wait until the tempera-ture gauge comes down to the mid-point then continue driving.


NOTICE

Steam and spray from anoverheated engine canseriously scald you.

Do not open the hood if steamis coming out.

ldc_27

If Your Engine Overheats

4. If the temperature gauge stays atthe red mark, turn off the engine.

5. Wait until you see no more signsof steam or spray, then open thehood.

6. Look for any obvious coolant leaks,such as a split radiator hose.Everything is still extremely hot,so use caution. If you find a leak, itmust be repaired before youcontinue driving (see Towing onpage 194 ).

7. If you don't find an obvious leak,check the coolant level in theradiator reserve tank (see page131 ). If the level is below the

MIN mark, add coolant to half-waybetween the MIN and MAX marks.

8. If there was no coolant in thereserve tank, you may also have toadd coolant to the radiator. Let theengine cool down until the pointer

reaches the middle of the tempera-ture gauge, or lower, before check-ing the radiator.

9. Using gloves or a large heavycloth, turn the radiator capcounterclockwise, without pushingdown, to the first stop. Thisreleases any remaining pressure inthe cooling system. After thepressure releases, push down onthe cap and turn it until it comesoff.

10.Start the engine and set thetemperature control lever tomaximum. Add coolant to theradiator up to the base of the fillerneck. If you do not have theproper coolant mixture available,you can add plain water.Remember to have the coolingsystem drained and refilled withthe proper mixture as soon as youcan.

11. Put the radiator cap back ontightly. Run the engine and watchthe temperature gauge. If it goesback to the red mark, the engineneeds repair. (See Towing onpage 194 .)

12. If the temperature stays normal,check the coolant level in theradiator reserve tank. If it hasgone down, add coolant to theMAX mark. Put the cap back ontightly.


Removing the radiator capwhile the engine is hot cancause the coolant to spray out,seriously scalding you.

Always let the engine andradiator cool down beforeremoving the radiator cap.

ldc_28

Low Oil Pressure

The low oil pressure indicator shouldnever come on when the engine isrunning. If this light flashes or stayson with the engine running, takeimmediate action.

Running the engine with low oilpressure can cause serious mechanicaldamage almost immediately. Turn offthe engine as soon as you can safely getthe car stopped.

1. Safely pull off the road and shutoff the engine.

2. Let the car sit for a minute. Openthe hood and check the oil level(see page 126 ). Although oil leveland oil pressure are not directlyconnected, an engine that is verylow on oil can lose pressure duringcornering and other drivingmaneuvers.

3. If necessary, add oil to bring thelevel back to the full mark on thedipstick (see page 126 ).

4. Start the engine and watch the oilpressure light. If the light does notgo out within ten seconds, turn offthe engine. There is a mechanicalproblem that needs to be repairedbefore you can continue driving.(See Towing on page 194 .)


LOW OIL PRESSURE INDICATOR

NOTICE

Charging System Indication

The charging system indicatorshould go out after the engine starts.If it comes on brightly with theengine running, the alternator is nolonger charging the battery.

Immediately turn off all electricalaccessories: radio, heater, A/C, reardefogger, cruise control, etc. Try notto use other electrically-operatedcontrols such as the power windows.Keep the engine running and takeextra care not to stall it. Starting theengine will discharge the batteryrapidly.

By eliminating as much of theelectrical load as possible, you candrive several miles before thebattery is too discharged to keep theengine running. Drive to a servicestation or garage where you can gettechnical assistance.


CHARGING SYSTEM INDICATOR

Malfunction Indicator Lamp/Check Engine Light

If this indicator conies on whiledriving, there is a problem with yourengine or its emission controlsystems. Even though you may feelno difference in your car's per-formance, it can reduce your fueleconomy and cause your car to putout excessive emissions. Continuedoperation may cause serious enginedamage.

If this indicator light comes on,safely pull off the road and turn offthe engine. Restart the engine andwatch the indicator light. If it stayson, have your car checked by thedealer as soon as possible. Drivemoderately until the dealer hasinspected the problem. Avoid full-throttle acceleration and driving athigh speed.

You should also have the dealerinspect your car if the indicator lightcomes on frequently, even though itgoes off when you follow the aboveprocedure.

If you keep driving with the malfunc-tion indicator lamp/check engine lighton, you can damage your car'semission controls and engine. Thoserepairs may not be covered by yourcar's warranties.


MALFUNCTION INDICATOR LAMP/CHECK ENGINE LIGHT*

* U.S. indicator shown

NOTICE

Fuses

All the electrical circuits in your carhave fuses to protect them from ashort circuit or overload. Thesefuses are located in two or three fuseboxes.

The interior fuse box is underneaththe dashboard on the driver's side.Remove the fuse box lid by swingingthe lid down and pulling it straightout of its hinges.

The underhood fuse box is located inthe engine compartment next to thebattery. To open, push the tab asshown.

CONTINUED


INTERIOR UNDER-HOOD

TAB

Fuses

Cars equipped with ABS have a thirdfuse box for the ABS. It is in thefront of the engine compartment onthe passenger's side.

Checking and Replacing FusesIf something electrical in your carstops working, the first thing youshould check for is a blown fuse.Determine from the chart on pages192 and 193 , or the diagram on thefuse box lid, which fuse or fusescontrol that component. Check thosefuses first, but check all the fusesbefore deciding that is not the cause.Replace any blown fuses and checkthe component's operation.

1. Turn the ignition switch to LOCK(0). Make sure the headlights andall other accessories are off.

2. Remove the cover from the fusebox.

3. Check each of the large fuses inthe underhood fuse box by lookingthrough the top at the wire inside.Removing these fuses requires aPhillips-head screwdriver.


ABS FUSE BOX

BLOWN

Fuses

4. Check the smaller fuses in theunderhood fuse box and all thefuses in the interior fuse box bypulling out each fuse with the fusepuller provided in the interior fusebox.

5. Look for a burned wire inside thefuse. If it is burned out, replace itwith one of the spare fuses of thesame rating or lower.

If you cannot drive the car withoutfixing the problem, and you do nothave a spare fuse, take a fuse of thesame rating or a lower rating fromone of the other circuits. Make sureyou can do without that circuittemporarily (such as the cigarettelighter or radio).

If you replace the blown fuse with aspare fuse that has a lower rating, itmight blow out again. This does notindicate anything wrong. Replace thefuse with one of the correct rating assoon as you can.

Replacing a fuse with one that has ahigher rating greatly increases thechances of damaging the electricalsystem. If you do not have a replace-ment fuse with the proper rating for thecircuit, install one with a lower rating.

6. If the replacement fuse of thesame rating blows in a short time,there is probably a seriouselectrical problem in your car.Leave the blown fuse in thatcircuit and have your car checkedby a qualified technician.

CONTINUED


FUSE PULLER BLOWN

NOTICE

Fuses

INTERIOR FUSE BOX

* : On Canadian cars


Fuses

UNDERHOOD FUSE BOX

ABS FUSE BOX


Towing

If your car needs to be towed, call aprofessional towing service or, if youbelong to one, an organization thatprovides roadside assistance. Nevertow your car behind another car withjust a rope or chain. It is verydangerous.

Emergency TowingThere are three popular methods oftowing a car:

Flat-bed Equipment — The operatorloads your car on the back of a truck.This is the best way of trans-porting your Honda.

Wheel Lift Equipment — The towtruck uses two pivoting arms that gounder the tires (front or rear) and liftthem off the ground. The other twowheels remain on the ground.

Sling-type Equipment — The towtruck uses metal cables with hookson the ends. These hooks go aroundparts of the frame or suspension andthe cables lift that end of the car offthe ground. Your car's suspensionand body can be seriously damagedif this method of towing is attempted.

If your Honda cannot be transportedby flat-bed, it should be towed withthe front wheels off the ground. Ifdue to damage, your car must betowed with the front wheels on theground, do the following:

5-speed Manual TransmissionRelease the parking brake.Shift the transmission to Neutral.

Automatic TransmissionRelease the parking brake.Start the engine.Shift to D4, then to N.Turn off the engine.

Improper towing preparation willdamage the transmission. Follow theabove procedure exactly. If you cannotshift the transmission or start theengine (automatic transmission), yourcar must be transported on a flat-bed.

It is best to tow the car no fartherthan 80 km (50 miles), and keepthe speed below 35 mph (55km/h).

Trying to lift or tow your car by thebumpers will cause serious damage.The bumpers are not designed tosupport the car's weight.


NOTICE

NOTICE

Technical Information

The diagrams in this section giveyou the dimensions and capacities ofyour Honda, and the locations of theidentification numbers. The expla-nations of several electronic andmechanical systems on your Hondaare for the more technically-orientedowner.

Identification Numbers................. 196Specifications................................. 198Anti-lock Brake System ................ 200Tire Information............................ 201

Tire Size Designation................ 201Wheel Size Designation............ 201Tire Speed Ratings.................... 201Tire Pressure Adjustment

For High Speed Driving........ 202DOT Tire Quality Grading....... 202

Treadwear.............................. 203Traction.................................. 203Temperature.......................... 203

Emission Controls......................... 204The Clean Air Act...................... 204Crankcase Emission Control

System..................................... 204Evaporative Emission Control

System..................................... 204Exhaust Emission Controls...... 205

PGM-FI System..................... 205Ignition Timing Control

System.................................205Three Way Catalytic

Converter............................205Replacement Parts..................... 205

Three Way Catalytic Converter... 206


Identification Numbers

Your car has several identifyingnumbers located in various places.

The Vehicle Identification Number(VIN) is the 17-digit number yourHonda dealer uses to register yourcar for warranty purposes. It is alsonecessary for licensing and insuringyour car. The easiest place to findthe VIN is on a plate fastened to thetop of the dashboard. You can see itby looking through the windshieldon the driver's side. It is also on theCertification label attached to thedriver's doorjamb, and is stamped onthe engine compartment bulkhead.The VIN is also provided in bar codeon the Certification label.

VEHICLE IDENTIFICATION NUMBER

CERTIFICATION LABEL


Identification Numbers

The Engine Number is stamped intothe engine block.

The Transmission Number is on alabel on top of the transmission.

TRANSMISSION NUMBER

ENGINE NUMBER


Specifications

* 1 : S

* 2 : Si

* 3 : VTEC


* 1 : Including the coolant in the reserve tank and that remaining in theengine.Reserve tank capacity: 0.4 (0.11 US ga l , 0.09 Imp gal)

* 2 : S * 3 : Si * 4 : VTEC

* 5 : Excluding the oil remaining in the engine.

page 145

Specifications

* 1 : S

* 2 : Si

* 3 : VTEC

* 4 : U.S. Si with ABS


page 192

page 193

* : VTEC

Anti-lock Brake System

The Anti-lock Brake System (ABS)is standard equipment on the VTECmodel. It is optional on the U.S. Simodel.

The ABS works by measuring howfast the wheels are turning duringbraking and comparing their speed.If any wheel is rotating much slowerthan the others (on the verge oflocking up and skidding), the systemreduces hydraulic pressure to thatwheel's brake caliper. When thatwheel's speed matches the otherwheels, the system applies normalhydraulic pressure. This can takeplace several times per second ateach wheel. You feel the ABSworking as rapid pulsations in thebrake pedal.

Each wheel has a wheel speedsensor assembly. As the wheelrotates, the sensor sends electricalpulses to the ABS control unit. Thepulse frequency varies with thewheel speed.

The electrical output of the ABScontrol unit is connected to themodulator/solenoid unit. Duringbraking, the ABS control unitmonitors the pulse frequencies fromthe four wheels. When the controlunit detects a wheel locking up, itenergizes the appropriate solenoid inthe modulator/solenoid unit. Thereare three solenoids: one for eachfront wheel, and one for the rearwheels. The energized solenoidreduces hydraulic pressure to oneside of a modulator valve. This, inturn, reduces hydraulic pressure inthe brake line going to the affectedwheel. When that wheel speeds upbecause of the reduced brakingeffort, the control unit de-energizes

the solenoid. This builds hydraulicpressure on the modulator valve.The pressure increases in thehydraulic line to the wheel.

For the system to react quickly, themodulator/solenoid unit must havebrake fluid under high pressure.This is supplied by an accumulatorthat is pressurized by an electricpump. A pressure-sensing switch onthe accumulator controls this pump.

The control unit also contains errordetection circuitry. It monitors theoperation of the wheel sensors,solenoids, pump, and electronics. Ifthe control unit detects any faults, itshuts off power to the pump motorand solenoids. The light on theinstrument panel comes on. Thebrakes then work like a conventionalsystem without anti-lock capabilities.


Tire Information

Tire Size DesignationA tire's sidewall is marked with a tiresize designation. You will need thisinformation when selectingreplacement tires for your car. Thefollowing explains what the lettersand numbers in the tire sizedesignation mean.

(Example tire size designation)P185/60R14 82H

P — Applicable vehicle type (tiresmarked with the prefix "P" areintended for use on passenger cars;however, not all tires have thismarking).

185 — Tire width in millimeters.

60 — Aspect ratio. The tire's sectionheight as a percentage of its width.

R — Tire construction code (Radial).

14 — Rim diameter in inches.

82 — Load Index, a numerical codeassociated with the maximum loadthe tire can carry.

H — Speed Rating Symbol. See thespeed rating chart in this section foradditional information.

Wheel Size DesignationWheels are also marked withimportant information that you needif you ever have to replace one. Thefollowing explains what the lettersand numbers in the wheel sizedesignation mean.

(Example wheel size designation)14 x 5-1/2 JJ

14 — Rim diameter in inches.

5-1/2 — Rim width in inches.

JJ — Rim contour designation.

Tire Speed RatingsThe chart below shows many of thedifferent speed ratings currentlybeing used for passenger car tires.The speed rating symbol is part ofthe tire size designation on thesidewall of the tire. This symbolcorresponds to that tire's designedmaximum safe operating speed.


Tire Information

Tire Pressure Adjustment ForHigh Speed DrivingHonda strongly recommends thatyou not drive faster than postedspeed limits and conditions allow. Ifyou decide it is safe to drive at highspeeds, be sure to adjust the cold tirepressures as shown below. If you donot adjust the tire pressure,excessive heat can build up andcause sudden tire failure.

(S)

(Si)

(VTEC)

Be sure to readjust the pressure fornormal driving speeds. You shouldwait until the tires are cold beforeadjusting the tire pressure (see page152).

DOT Tire Quality Grading(U.S. Cars)The tires on your car meet all U.S.Federal Safety Requirements. Alltires are also graded for treadwear,traction, and temperature perform-ance according to Department ofTransportation (DOT) standards.The following explains thesegradings.


Tire Information

TreadwearThe treadwear grade is a compara-tive rating based on the wear rate ofthe tire when tested under controlledconditions on a specified governmenttest course. For example, a tiregraded 150 would wear one and onehalf (1-1/2) times as well on thegovernment course as a tire graded100. The relative performance oftires depends upon the actual condi-tions of their use, however, and maydepart significantly from the normdue to variations in driving habits,service practices and differences inroad characteristics and climate.

TractionThe traction grades, from highest tolowest, are A, B, and C, and theyrepresent the tire's ability to stop onwet pavement as measured undercontrolled conditions on specifiedgovernment test surfaces of asphaltand concrete. A tire marked C mayhave poor traction performance.

Warning: The traction grade as-signed to this tire is based on brak-ing (straight ahead) traction testsand does not include cornering(turning) traction.

TemperatureThe temperature grades are A (thehighest), B, and C, representing thetire's resistance to the generation ofheat and its ability to dissipate heatwhen tested under controlledconditions on a specified indoorlaboratory test wheel. Sustained hightemperature can cause the materialof the tire to degenerate and reducetire life, and excessive temperaturecan lead to sudden tire failure. Thegrade C corresponds to a level ofperformance which all passenger cartires must meet under the FederalMotor Vehicle Safety Standard No.109. Grades B and A representhigher levels of performance on thelaboratory test wheel than theminimum required by law.

Warning: The temperature grade forthis tire is established for a tire thatis properly inflated and not over-loaded. Excessive speed, underinfla-tion, or excessive loading eitherseparately or in combination, cancause heat build-up and possible tirefailure.


Emission Controls

The burning of gasoline in your car'sengine produces several byproducts.Some of these are carbon monoxide(CO), oxides of nitrogen (NOx) andhydrocarbons (HC). Gasolineevaporating from the tank alsoproduces hydrocarbons. Controllingthe production of NOx, CO, and HCis important to the environment.Under certain conditions of sunlightand climate, NOx and HC react toform photochemical "smog." Carbonmonoxide does not contribute tosmog creation, but it is a poisonousgas.

The Clean Air ActThe United States Clean Air Act*sets standards for automobileemissions. It also requires thatautomobile manufacturers explain toowners how their emission controlswork and what to do to maintainthem. This section summarizes howthe emission controls work.Scheduled maintenance is on page120.

* In Canada, Honda vehicles complywith the Canadian Motor VehicleSafety Standards (CMVSS) forEmissions valid at the time they aremanufactured.

Crankcase Emission ControlSystemYour car has a Positive CrankcaseVentilation System. This keepsgasses that build up in the engine'scrankcase from going into theatmosphere. The Positive CrankcaseVentilation valve routes them fromthe crankcase back to the intakemanifold. They are then drawn intothe engine and burned.

Evaporative Emission ControlSystemAs gasoline evaporates in the fueltank, an evaporative emission controlcanister filled with charcoal adsorbsthe vapor. It is stored in this canisterwhile the engine is off. After theengine is started and warmed up, thevapor is drawn into the engine andburned during driving.


Emission Controls

Exhaust Emission ControlsThe exhaust emission controlsinclude three systems: PGM-FI,Ignition Timing Control and ThreeWay Catalytic Converter. Thesethree systems work together tocontrol the engine's combustion andminimize the amount of HC, CO, andNOx that comes out the tailpipe. Theexhaust emission control systemsare separate from the crankcase andevaporative emission controlsystems.

PGM-FI SystemThe PGM-FI System uses sequentialmultiport fuel injection.It has three subsystems: Air Intake,Engine Control, and Fuel Control.The Engine Control Module (ECM)uses various sensors to determinehow much air is going into theengine. It then controls how muchfuel to inject under all operatingconditions.

Ignition Timing Control SystemThis system constantly adjusts theignition timing, reducing the amountof HC, CO and NOx produced.

Three Way Catalytic ConverterThe three way catalytic converter isin the exhaust system. Throughchemical reactions, it converts HC,CO, and NOx in the engine's exhaustto carbon dioxide (CO2), dinitrogen(N2), and water vapor.

Replacement PartsThe emission control systems aredesigned and certified to work to-gether in reducing emissions tolevels that comply with the Clean AirAct. To make sure the emissionsremain low, you should use only newgenuine Honda replacement parts ortheir equivalent for repairs. Usinglower quality parts may increase theemissions from your car.

The emissions control systems arecovered by warranties separate fromthe rest of your car. Read yourwarranty manual for more informa-tion.


Three Way Catalytic Converter

The three way catalytic convertercontains precious metals that serveas catalysts, promoting chemicalreactions to convert the exhaustgasses without affecting the metals.The catalytic converter is referred toas a three-way catalyst, since it actson HC, CO, and NOx. A replacementunit must be an original Honda partor its equivalent.

The three way catalytic convertermust operate at a high temperaturefor the chemical reactions to takeplace. It can set on fire any com-bustible materials that come near it.Park your car away from high grass,dry leaves, or other flammables.

THREE WAY CATALYTIC CONVERTER

A defective three way catalyticconverter contributes to air pollution,and can impair your engine's per-formance. Follow these guidelines toprotect your car's three way catalyticconverter.

Always use unleaded gasoline.Even a small amount of leadedgasoline can contaminate thecatalyst metals, making the threeway catalytic converter ineffective.

Keep the engine tuned-up.

Have your car diagnosed andrepaired if it is misfiring, back-firing, stalling, or otherwise notrunning properly.


Warranty and Customer Relations

Warranty Coverages..................... 208Customer Relations

Information................................ 209U.S. Zone Office Map.................... 210Canada Zone Office Map.............. 211Authorized Manuals...................... 213


Warranty Coverages

U.S. CarsYour new Honda is covered by thesewarranties:

New Car Limited Warranty — coversyour new car, except for the battery,emissions control systems andaccessories, against defects inmaterials and workmanship.

Emissions Control Systems DefectsWarranty and EmissionsPerformance Warranty — these twowarranties cover your car'semissions control systems. Time,mileage, and coverage are condi-tional. Please read the warrantymanual for exact information.

Original Equipment Battery LimitedWarranty — this warranty gives upto 100% credit toward a replacementbattery.

Seat Belt Limited Warranty — a seatbelt that fails to function properly iscovered for the useful life of the car.

Rust Perforation Limited Warrantyall exterior body panels are

covered for rust-through from theinside for the specified time periodwith no mileage limit.

Accessory Limited Warranty —Genuine Honda Accessories arecovered under this warranty. Timeand mileage limits depend on thetype of accessory and other factors.Please read your warranty manualfor details.

Replacement Parts LimitedWarranty — covers all GenuineHonda replacement parts againstdefects in materials and workman-ship.

Replacement Battery LimitedWarranty — provides proratedcoverage for a replacement batterypurchased from a Honda dealer.

Replacement Muffler LifetimeLimited Warranty — providescoverage for as long as the pur-chaser of the muffler owns the car.

Restrictions and exclusions apply toall these warranties. Please read the1995 Honda Warranties booklet thatcame with your car for preciseinformation on warranty coverages.Your Honda's original tires arecovered by their manufacturer. Tirewarranty information is in a separatebooklet.

Canada CarsPlease refer to the 1995 Warrantyand Maintenance Guide that camewith your car.


Customer Relations Information

Honda dealership personnel aretrained professionals. They shouldbe able to answer all your questions.If you encounter a problem that yourdealership does not solve to yoursatisfaction, please discuss it withthe dealership's management. TheService Manager or GeneralManager can help. Almost allproblems are solved in this way.

If you are dissatisfied with thedecision made by the dealership'smanagement, contact your HondaCustomer Relations Zone Office.Refer to the U.S. and Canadian ZoneOffice maps on the following pages.

When you call or write, please giveus this information:

Vehicle Identification Number(see page 196 )Name and address of the dealerwho services your carDate of purchaseMileage on your carYour name, address, and tele-phone numberA detailed description of theproblemName of the dealer who sold thecar to you


Index

AccessoriesInstallation.................................... 97

ACCESSORY (Ignition KeyPosition)........................................ 49

AddingAutomatic Transmission

Fluid........................................ 137Brake Fluid................................. 139Clutch Fluid................................ 140Engine Coolant........................... 131Engine Oil................................... 126Manual Transmission Fluid ..... 138Power Steering Fluid................. 141Windshield Washer Fluid......... 136

Additional Safety Information........ 16Door Locks................................... 16Driving with Pets......................... 17Seat-back Position........................ 16Storing Cargo Safely................... 17

Additives, Engine Oil..................... 128Adjustments

Mirrors.......................................... 60Seats.............................................. 52Steering Wheel............................ 43

Airbag (SRS) ...................................... 9Air Cleaner..................................... 142Air Conditioning............................... 70

Maintenance............................... 150Usage............................................. 70

Air Outlets (Vents).......................... 68Air Pressure, Tires........................ 151Alcohol and Drugs........................... 25Alcohol in Gasoline.......................... 90Antifreeze....................................... 131Anti-lock Brakes (ABS)

Description................................. 200Indicator Light..................... 35, 111Operation.................................... 111

Anti-theft Steering Column Lock .. 48Appearance Care........................... 165Ashtray.............................................. 64Audio System................................... 75Automatic Speed Control................ 44Automatic Transmission............... 105

Capacity, Fluid........................... 198Checking Fluid Level................ 137Shifting........................................ 105Shift Lever Positions................. 105Shift Lock Release..................... 108

Auxiliary Light................................. 42Replacing Bulb........................... 158Turning on.................................... 42

BatteryCharging System Light............... 32Jump Starting............................. 182Maintenance............................... 145Specifications............................. 199

Before Driving................................. 89Belts, Seat........................................... 5Beverage Holder.............................. 63Body Repair.................................... 171Brakes

Anti-lock System (ABS)............ 111Break-in, New Linings................. 90Fluid............................................ 139Light, Burned-out...................... 160Parking.......................................... 61System Indicator.......................... 32Wear Indicators......................... 110

CONTINUED

Index

Brakes, ABSDescription................................. 200Operation.................................... 111System Indicator.................. 35, 111

Braking System.............................. 109Break-in, New Car........................... 90Brightness Control, Instruments... 40Brights, Headlights......................... 39Bulb Replacement

Auxiliary Lights......................... 158Back-up Lights........................... 160Brake Lights............................... 160Ceiling Light............................... 161Front Parking Lights................. 159Front Side Marker Lights......... 159Headlights.................................. 157License Plate Lights.................. 161Rear Side Marker Lights.......... 160Specifications............................. 199Trunk Light................................ 161Turn Signal Lights..................... 159

Bulbs, Halogen............................... 157

Cables, Jump Starting With.......... 182

Capacities Chart............................. 198Carbon Monoxide Hazard.............. 26Cargo, Loading................................. 98Cassette Player

Care............................................... 87Operation...................................... 81

CAUTION, Explanation of............... iiCD Player.......................................... 84Certification Label......................... 196Chains............................................. 156Change Oil

How to......................................... 128When to....................................... 120

Changing a Flat Tire..................... 175Changing Engine Coolant............. 133Charging System Indicator ... 32, 187Check Engine Light............... 33, 188Checking

Automatic TransmissionFluid........................................ 137

Battery Condition...................... 145Brake Fluid................................. 139Clutch Fluid................................ 140Drive Belts.................................. 151Engine Coolant........................... 131Engine Oil................................... 126

Fuses........................................... 190Manual Transmission Fluid ..... 138Power Steering Fluid................. 141

Checklist, Before Driving............. 100Child Safety...................................... 18Cigarette Lighter............................. 64Cleaner, Air.................................... 142Cleaning

Aluminum Wheels..................... 168Carpeting.................................... 169Exterior....................................... 166Fabric.......................................... 169Interior........................................ 169Seat Belts.................................... 169Vinyl............................................ 169Window.......................................170

CLEAN Light................................... 87Clock, Setting the ............................ 62Clutch Fluid.................................... 140CO in the Exhaust......................... 204Cold Weather, Starting in............. 102Compact Spare............................... 174Consumer Information.................. 209Controls, Instruments and.............. 30Coolant

Adding......................................... 131

Index

Checking.....................................131Proper Solution.......................... 131Temperature Gauge.................... 37

Corrosion Protection..................... 170Crankcase Emission Control

System......................................... 204Cruise Control Operation............... 44Customer Relations Office........... 209

DANGER, Explanation of................. iiDashboard........................................ 30Daytime Running Lights................. 39Dead Battery, What to Do............ 182Defects, Reporting Safety............... 27Defogger, Rear Window................. 42Defrosting the Windows................. 74DEXRON® II Automatic

Transmission Fluid.................... 137Dimensions..................................... 198Dimming the Headlights................ 39Dipstick

Automatic Transmission........... 137Engine Oil................................... 126

Directional Signals........................... 40

Disabled, Towing Your Car If...... 194Disc Brake Wear Indicators......... 110Disposal of Used Oil...................... 130Doors

Locking and Unlocking............... 49DOT Tire Quality Grading........... 202Downshifting, 5-speed Manual

Transmission.............................. 103Drive Belts...................................... 151Driving.............................................. 99

Economy....................................... 96In Bad Weather.......................... 112In Foreign Countries................... 91

Economy, Fuel................................. 96Emergencies on the Road............. 173

Battery, Jump Starting.............. 182Changing a Flat Tire................. 175Charging System Indicator...... 187Check Engine Light.................. 188Checking the Fuses................... 190Low Oil Pressure Indicator...... 186Malfunction Indicator Lamp.... 188Overheated Engine................... 184

Emergency Brake............................ 61Emergency Flashers....................... 42Emission Controls......................... 204Engine

Belts.............................................151Check Light......................... 33, 188Coolant Temperature Gauge ..... 37Malfunction Indicator

Lamp................................ 33, 188Oil Pressure Indicator........ 32, 186Oil, What Kind to Use............... 122Overheating................................ 184Specifications............................. 198

Ethanol in Gasoline ......................... 91Evaporative Emission Controls.... 204Exhaust Fumes................................ 26Expectant Mothers, Use of Seat

Belts by...........................................8Exterior, Cleaning the................... 166

Fabric, Cleaning............................. 169Fan, Interior...................................... 70

CONTINUED

Index

Features, Comfort andConvenience................................. 67

Filling the Fuel Tank....................... 92Filters

Oil................................................ 128First Gear, Shifting........................ 1035-speed Manual Transmission,

Checking Fluid Level................ 1385-speed Manual Transmission,

Shifting the................................. 103Flashers, Hazard Warning.............. 42Flat Tire, Changing a.................... 175Fluids

Automatic Transmission........... 137Brake...........................................139Clutch..........................................140Manual Transmission............... 138Power Steering........................... 141Windshield Washer................... 136

FM Stereo RadioReception...................................... 80

Foreign Countries, Driving in........ 91Four-way Flashers........................... 42Front End, Towing by

Emergency Wrecker................. 194

Fuel....................................................90Fill Door and Cap......................... 92Gauge............................................ 37Octane Requirement................... 90Oxygenated.................................. 90Tank, Filling the........................... 92

Fuses, Checking the...................... 190

Gas Mileage, Improving.................. 96Gasohol............................................. 90Gasoline............................................ 90

Gauge............................................ 37Octane Requirement................... 90Tank, Filling the........................... 92

Gas Station Procedures................... 92Gauges

Engine Coolant Temperature .... 37Fuel................................................ 37

Gearshift Lever PositionsAutomatic Transmission........... 1055-speed Manual

Transmission.......................... 103Glass Cleaning............................... 170Glove Box......................................... 62

Halogen Headlight Bulbs.............. 157Hazard Warning Flashers............... 42Headlights

Daytime Running Lights............. 39High Beam Indicator................... 34High Beams, Turning on............ 39Low Beams, Turning on ............. 39Replacing Halogen Bulbs ......... 157Turning on.................................... 39

Heating and Cooling........................ 68High Altitude, Starting at.............. 102High-Low Beam Switch .................. 39Hood, Opening the .......................... 93Horn...................................................47Hot Coolant, Warning about........ 131Hydraulic Clutch............................ 140Hydroplaning.................................. 113

Identification Number, Vehicle.... 196If Your Car Has to be Towed...... 194Ignition

Keys...............................................47

Index

Switch............................................ 48Timing Control System............. 205

Indicator Lights, InstrumentPanel..............................................31

Infant Restraint................................ 20Inflation, Proper Tire .................... 152Inside Mirror.................................... 60Inspection, Tire.............................. 153Instrument Panel............................. 30Instrument Panel Brightness......... 40Interior Cleaning............................ 169Interior Lights.................................. 65Introduction......................................... i

Jacking up the Car......................... 177Jack, Tire........................................ 176Jump Starting................................. 182

Keys................................................... 47

Label, Certification........................ 196Lane Change, Signaling.................. 40Lap/Shoulder Belts........................... 6Leaking of Exhaust into Car.......... 26Lighter, Cigarette............................ 64Lights

Bulb Replacement..................... 157Indicator........................................ 31Parking.......................................... 39Turn Signal................................... 40

Loading Cargo.................................. 98LOCK (Ignition Key Position)....... 48Locks

Anti-theft Steering Column........ 48Fuel Fill Door............................... 92Rear Locking Compartment....... 52Trunk............................................ 50

Low Coolant Level......................... 131Lower Gear, Downshifting to a.... 103Low Oil Pressure Indicator... 32, 186Lubricant Specifications Chart.... 198Luggage............................................ 98

Maintenance................................... 115Periodic Items............................ 124Record.................................. 122-123Safety........................................... 116Schedule.............................. 118-121

Malfunction Indicator................... 188Manual Transmission.................... 103Manual Transmission Fluid ......... 138Maximum Shift Speeds........ 104, 108Meters, Gauges................................ 36Methanol in Gasoline...................... 90Mirrors, Adjusting........................... 61

Neutral Gear Position.................... 107New Vehicle Break-in ..................... 90Normal Shift Speeds...................... 104NOTICE, Explanation of................... iiNumbers, Identification................ 196

CONTINUED

Index

Occupant Protection System............ 4Octane Requirement, Gasoline...... 90Odometer.......................................... 36Odometer, Trip................................ 36Oil

Change, How to......................... 128Change, When to....................... 120Checking Engine....................... 126Pressure Indicator....................... 32Selecting Proper Viscosity

Chart....................................... 128ON (Ignition Key Position) ............ 49Opening the Hood ........................... 93Opening the Trunk.......................... 50Operation in Foreign Countries..... 91Outside Mirrors............................... 60Overheating, Engine..................... 184

Panel Brightness Control............... 40Park Gear Position......................... 106Parking Brake.................................. 61Parking Lights.................................. 39

Parking Over Things that Burn... 206PGM-FI System.............................. 205Polishing and Waxing................... 166Power

Door Locks................................... 50Mirrors.......................................... 60Steering....................................... 141Windows....................................... 53

Pregnancy, Using Seat Belts............ 8Proper Seat Belt Usage..................... 6

Radiator Overheating.................... 184Radio/Cassette Sound System....... 75Rear End Towing........................... 194Rear Lights, Bulb Replacement... 160Rear Locking Compartment........... 52Rear View Mirror............................. 60Rear Window Defogger.................. 42Reclining the Seat Backs................ 52Recommended Shift Speeds ........ 104Reminder Lights.............................. 31Removable Roof Panel.................... 55

Removing and Storing................. 56Installing....................................... 57

Roof Unlatched Indicator........... 59Replacement Information

Air Cleaner................................. 142Coolant........................................ 133Engine Oil and Filter................. 128Fuses...........................................190Light Bulbs................................. 157Schedule..................................... 118Spark Plugs................................. 143Tires............................................ 154Wiper Blades.............................. 148

Replacing Seat Belts After aCrash...............................................8

Reserve Tank, Coolant.................. 131Restraint, Child................................ 18Reverse Gear Position................... 107Roof and Trunk Monitor................. 33Rotation, Tire................................. 154

Safety Belts......................................... 5Safety Defects, Reporting............... 27Safety Labels, Location of.............. 28Safety Messages................................ ii

Index

Seat Belts............................................ 5Advice for Pregnant Women........ 8Child Seat Anchor Plate.............. 24Cleaning...................................... 169Frayed or Torn............................... 8Maintenance................................... 8Reminder Light and Beeper....... 32Replacement................................... 8System Components...................... 6Tether Attachment Points.......... 23Use During Pregnancy.................. 8Wearing a Lap/Shoulder Belt...... 7

Seats, Adjusting the......................... 52Serial Number................................ 196Service Intervals............................ 120Service Manual.............................. 213Service Station Procedures ............ 92Setting the Clock............................. 62Shifting

The Automatic Transmission .. 105The 5-speed Manual

Transmission.......................... 103Shift Lever Position

Indicator............................... 35, 105Side Marker Lights, Bulb

Replacement in.......................... 159

Signaling Turns................................ 40Snow Tires...................................... 156Solvent-type Cleaners.................... 166Sound System................................... 75Spare Tire

Inflating....................................... 174Specifications............................. 199

Spark Plugs, Replacing................. 143Specifications Charts..................... 198Speed Control................................... 44Speedometer.................................... 36SRS Indicator.............................. 14, 33START (Ignition Key Position) ..... 49Starting the Engine........................ 101

In Cold Weather at HighAltitude................................... 102

With a Dead Battery................. 182Steam Coming from Engine......... 184Steering Wheel

Adjustment................................... 43Anti-theft Column Lock.............. 48

Stereo Sound System...................... 75Storing Your Car............................ 163Sun Visor........................................... 64Supplemental Restraint System

Service Precautions..................... 15

Servicing....................................... 14SRS Indicator.......................... 14, 33System Components...................... 9

Tachometer...................................... 36Taillights, Changing Bulbs in....... 160Taking Care of the

Unexpected................................ 173Tape Player....................................... 81Technical Descriptions

Anti-lock Brake System............ 200Emission Control Systems........ 204Three Way Catalytic

Converter................................ 206Tire Information........................ 201

Temperature Gauge........................ 37Tether Attachment Points.............. 23Three Way Catalytic Converter... 206Time, Setting the............................. 62Tire Chains..................................... 156Tire, How to Change a Flat.......... 175

CONTINUED

Index

Tires................................................ 151Air Pressure............................... 152Checking Wear.......................... 153Compact Spare........................... 174DOT Tire Quality Grading....... 202Inflation....................................... 152Inspection................................... 153Replacing.................................... 154Rotating....................................... 154Snow............................................ 156Specifications............................. 199Wheels and Tires....................... 155Winter Driving........................... 155

Tools, Tire Changing.................... 176Torn Seat Belts.................................. 8Towing

A Trailer.....................................114Emergency Wrecker................. 194

TransmissionChecking Fluid Level,

Automatic............................... 137Checking Fluid Level,

Manual.................................... 138Fluid Selection............................ 137Identification Number............... 196Shifting the Automatic.............. 105

Shifting the Manual................... 103Treadwear...................................... 153Trip Meter........................................ 36Trunk

Opening the.................................. 50Open Monitor............................... 33

Turn Signals..................................... 40

Underside, Cleaning...................... 171Unexpected, Taking Care

of the........................................... 173Uniform Tire Quality Grading..... 202Unleaded Gasoline........................... 90Upholstery Cleaning...................... 169Used Oil, How to Dispose of........ 130

Vehicle Capacity Load .................... 98Vehicle Dimensions....................... 198Vehicle Identification Number..... 196Vehicle Storage.............................. 163Ventilation......................................... 71VIN.................................................. 196

Vinyl Cleaning................................ 169Viscosity, Oil................................... 128

Warning BeepersKey in Ignition.............................. 49Seat Belts...................................... 32

WARNING, Explanation of.............. iiWarning Labels, Location of.......... 28Warranty Coverages..................... 208Washer, Windshield

Checking the Fluid Level......... 136Operation...................................... 41

Washing.......................................... 166Waxing and Polishing................... 167Wheels

Adjusting the Steering................ 43Alignment and Balance............. 154Compact Spare........................... 174Wrench....................................... 176

WindowsCleaning...................................... 170Operating the Power................... 53Rear, Defogger............................ 42

WindshieldCleaning........................................ 41Defroster...................................... 74

Wipers, WindshieldChanging Blades........................ 148Operation...................................... 41

Worn Tires..................................... 153Wrecker, Emergency Towing...... 194

Index

Gas Station Information

Gasoline:(S, Si)

UNLEADED gasolinePump octane of 86 or higher

(VTEC)Premium UNLEADEDPump octane of 91 or higher

Gas Tank Capacity:45 l (11.9 US gal , 9.9 Imp gal)

Recommended Engine Oil:API SG or SH grade"Energy Conserving I I" oilSAE 5W-30 viscosity

Engine Oil Capacity:including filter(S, Si)

3.3 l (3.5 US qt , 2.9 Imp qt)(VTEC)

4.0 l (4.2 US qt, 3.5 Imp qt)without filter(S, Si)

3.0 l (3.2 US qt , 2.6 Imp qt)

(VTEC)3.7 l (3.9 US qt , 3.3 Imp qt)

Tire Pressure (measured cold):(S)Front/Rear:

220 kPa (2.2 kg/cm 2 , 32 psi)(Si, VTEC)Front/Rear:

200 kPa (2.0 kg/cm 2 , 29 psi)

Spare Tire Pressure:415 kPa (4.15 kg/cm 2 , 60 psi)

Tire Size (Front and Rear):(S)

P175/70R13 82S(Si)

P185/60R1482H(VTEC)

P195/60R14 85VSpare Tire:(S, Si)

T105/80D13

(VTEC, U.S. Si with ABS)T135/70D15

Other Tire Information:See label in the glove box.

5-speed Manual Transmission Oil:SAE 10W-30 or 10W-40 viscosityAPI SF or SG grade recom-mended

Capacity:(S, Si)

1.8 l (1.9 US qt , 1.6 Imp qt)(VTEC)

2.2 l (2.3 US qt, 1.9 Imp qt)

Automatic Transmission Fluid:Honda Premium Formula Auto-matic Transmission Fluid or anequivalent DEXRON® II type Auto-matic Transmission Fluid (ATF)

Capacity:2.7 l (2.9 US qt, 2.4 Imp qt)

1995 Del Sol Online Reference Owner's Manual Contents

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Transcript of 1995 Del Sol Online Reference Owner's Manual Contents