Honda Accord 1998 Owner's Manual
1998 Accord Sedan Online Reference Owner's Manual
Information Provided by:
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.
Owner's Identification Form
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.................................................................................................................47
Instrument panel indicator and gauge, and how to use dashboard and steering column controls.
Comfort and Convenience Features .............................................................................................
How to operate the climate control system, the audio system, and other convenience features.
Before Driving..................................................................................................................................153
What gasoline to use, how to break-in your new vehicle, and how to load luggage and other cargo.
Driving
..............................................................................................................................................167
The proper way to start the engine, shift the transmission, and park, plus towing a trailer.
Maintenance.....................................................................................................................................191
The Maintenance Schedule shows you when you need to take your vehicle to the dealer.
Appearance Care
..............................................................................................................................259
Tips on cleaning and protecting your vehicle. Things to look for if your vehicle ever needs body repairs.
Taking Care of the Unexpected......................................................................................................267
This section covers several problems motorists sometimes experience, and how to handle them.
Technical Information
.....................................................................................................................293
ID numbers, dimensions, capacities, and technical information.
Warranty and Customer Relations (U.S. and Canada)................................................................307
A summary of the warranties covering your new Acura, and how to contact us.
Authorized Manuals (U.S. only)......................................................................................................313
How to order manuals and other technical literature.
Index...................................................................................................................................................... I
Service Information Summary
A summary of information you need when you pull up to the fuel pump.
Contents
.103
Owner's Identification
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OWNER
ADDRESS
CITY
V. I. N.
DELIVERY DATE
DEALER NAME
ADDRESS
CITY
OWNER'S
SIGNATURE
DEALER'S SIGNATURE
STREET
STATE/PROVINCE
(Date sold to original retail purchaser)
DEALER NO.
STREET
STATE/PROVINCE
ZIP CODE /
POSTAL CODE
ZIP
CODE/
POSTAL CODE
This Owner's Manual should be considered
a permanent part of the car, and should
remain with the car when it i
s sold.
The information and specifications included
in this publication were in affect at the time
of approval for printing. Honda Motor Co.,
Ltd. reserves the right, however, to
discontinue or change specifications or
design at any time without notice and
with out incurring any obligation whatsoever.
Introduction
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Congratulations ! Your selection of a 1998 Honda Accord was a wise
investment. It will give you years of driving pleasure.
One of the best ways to enhance the enjoyment of your new Honda is to
read this manual. In it, you will learn how to operate its driving controls and
convenience items. Afterwards, keep this owner's manual in your vehicle so
you can refer to it at any time.
Several warranties protect your new Honda. Read the warranty booklet
thoroughly so you understand the coverages and are aware of your rights
and responsibilities.
Maintaining your vehicle according to the schedules given in this manual
helps to keep your driving trouble-free while it preserves your investment.
When your vehicle needs maintenance, keep in mind that your Honda
dealer's staff is specially trained in servicing the many systems unique to
your Honda. Your Honda dealer is dedicated to your satisfaction and will be
pleased to answer any questions and concerns.
As you read this manual, you will
find information that is preceded by
NOTICE
a
symbol. This
information is intended to help you
avoid damage to your Honda, other
property, or the environment.
A Few Words About Safety
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Your safety, and the safety of others,
is very important. And operating this
vehicle safely is an important
responsibility.
To help you make informed
decisions about safety, we have
provided operating procedures and
other information on labels and in
this manual. This information alerts
you to potential hazards that could
hurt you or others.
Of course, it is not practical or
possible to warn you about all the
hazards associated with operating or
maintaining your vehicle. You must
use your own good judgement.
You will find this important safety information in a variety of forms,
including:
Safety Labels — on the vehicle.
Safety Messages — preceded by a safety alert symbol and one of
three signal words: DANGER, WARNING, or CAUTION.
These signal words mean:
You WILL be KILLED or SERIOUSLY
HURT if you don't follow instructions.
You CAN be KILLED or SERIOUSLY
HURT if you don't follow instructions.
You CAN be HURT if you don't follow
instructions.
Safety Headings — such as Important Safety Reminders or Important
Safety Precautions.
Safety Section — such as Driver and Passenger Safety.
Instructions — how to use this vehicle correctly and safely.
This entire book is filled with important safety information — please read it
carefully.
Driver and Passenger Safety
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This section gives you important
information about how to protect
yourself and your passengers. It
shows you how to use seat belts
properly. It explains your Supplemental Restraint System. And it tells
you how to properly restrain infants
and children in your vehicle.
Important Safety Precautions .......... 4
Your Vehicle's Safety Features........ 5
Seat Belts........................................ 6
Airbags............................................ 7
Seats & Seat-Backs........................ 8
Head Restraints............................. 8
Door Locks..................................... 8
Pre-Drive Safety Checklist........... 9
Protecting Adults............................. 10
1. Close and Lock the Doors...... 10
2. Adjust the Front Seats............ 10
3. Adjust the Seat-Backs............. 11
4. Adjust the Head Restraints.... 12
5. Fasten and Position the Seat
Belts...................................... 12
6. Adjust the Steering Wheel..... 14
7. Maintain a Proper Sitting
Position................................. 14
Advice for Pregnant Women...... 15
Additional Safety Precautions.... 16
Protecting Children......................... 17
All Children Must Be
Restrained................................ 17
Children Should Sit in the Back
Seat........................................... 18
The Passenger's Airbag Poses
Serious Risks to Children....... 18
If You Must Drive with Several
Children.................................... 19
If a Child Requires Close
Attention................................... 20
Additional Safety Precautions.... 20
General Guidelines for Using
Child Seats.............................. 21
Protecting Infants........................ 25
Protecting Small Children.......... 29
Protecting Larger Children........ 32
Using Child Seats with
Tethers...................................... 35
Additional Information About Your
Seat Belts.................................. 38
Seat Belt System Components... 38
Lap/Shoulder Belt....................... 38
Seat Belt Maintenance................ 39
Additional Information About Your
SRS........................................... 40
SRS Components......................... 40
How Your Airbags Work............ 40
How Your SRS Indicator Light
Works...................................... 42
SRS Service................................... 42
Additional Safety Precautions.... 43
Carbon Monoxide Hazard.............. 44
Safety Labels.................................... 45
Driver and Passenger Safety
Important Safety Precautions
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You'll find many safety
recommendations throughout this
section, and throughout this manual.
Following are a few
recommendations we consider most
important.
Always Wear Your Seat Belt
A seat belt is your best protection in
all types of collisions. Airbags
supplement seat belts, but airbags
are designed to inflate only in a
severe frontal collision. So even with
airbags, make sure you and your
passengers always wear your seat
belts, and wear them properly. (See
page 12.)
Restrain All Children
Children are safest when they are
properly restrained in the back seat,
not the front seat. A child who is too
small for a seat belt must be properly
restrained in a child safety seat. (See
page 17.)
Driver and Passenger Safety
Be Aware of Airbag Hazards
While airbags save lives, they can
cause serious or fatal injuries to
occupants who sit too close to them,
or are not properly restrained.
Infants, young children, and short
adults are at the greatest risk. Be
sure to follow all instructions and
warnings in this manual. (See page 5.)
Don't Drink and Drive
Alcohol and driving don't mix. Even
one drink can reduce your ability to
respond to changing conditions.
Reaction time gets worse with every
additional drink. So don't drink and
drive, and don't let your friends drink
and drive, either.
Control Your Speed
Excessive speed is a major factor in
crash injuries and deaths, Generally,
the higher the speed the greater the
risk, but serious accidents can also
occur at lower speeds. Never drive
faster than is safe for current
conditions, regardless of the
maximum speed posted.
Keep Your Vehicle in Safe
Condition
Having a tire blowout or a
mechanical failure can be extremely
hazardous. To reduce the possibility
of such problems, check your tire
pressures and condition frequently,
and perform all regularly scheduled
maintenance. (See page 196.)
(1) Safety Cage
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(2) Crush Zones
(3) Seats & Seat-Backs
(4) Head Restraints
(5) Collapsible Steering Column
(6) Seat Belts
(7) Airbags
(8) Door Locks
Your Vehicle's Safety Features
Your vehicle is equipped with many
features that work together to
protect you and your passengers
during a crash.
Some safety features do not require
any action on your part. These
include a strong steel framework
that forms a safety cage around the
passenger compartment; front and
rear crush zones that are designed to
crumple and absorb energy during a
crash; and a collapsible steering
column.
These safety features are designed
to reduce the severity of injuries in a
crash. However, you and your
passengers can't take full advantage
of these safety features unless you
remain sitting in a proper position
and always wear your seat belts
properly. In fact, some safety
features can contribute to injuries if
they are not used properly.
Driver and Passenger Safety
Your Vehicle's Safety Features
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Seat Belts
For your safety, and the safety of
your passengers, your vehicle is
equipped with seat belts in all seating
positions.
Your seat belt system also
includes a light on the
instrument panel to remind you and
your passengers to fasten your seat
belts.
Why Wear Seat Belts
Seat belts are the single most
effective safety device for adults and
larger children. (Infants and smaller
children must be properly restrained
in child seats.)
Not wearing a seat belt properly
increases the chance of serious
injury or death in a crash, even
though your vehicle has airbags.
Driver and Passenger Safety
In addition, most states and all
Canadian provinces require you to
wear seat belts.
Not wearing a seat belt properly
increases the chance of serious
injury or death in a crash, even
if you have airbags.
Be sure you and your
passengers always wear seat
belts and wear them properly.
When properly worn, seat belts:
Keep you connected to the vehicle
so you can take advantage of the
vehicle's built-in safety features.
Help protect you in almost every
type of crash, including side and
rear impacts and rollovers. (Your
airbags can only be helpful in
severe frontal collisions.)
Help keep you from being thrown
against the inside of the car and
against other occupants.
Keep you from being thrown
outside of the car.
Help keep you in a good position
should the airbags ever deploy. A
good position reduces the risk of
injury from an inflating airbag, and
allows you to get the best
advantage from the airbag.
Of course, seat belts cannot
completely protect you in every
crash. But in most cases, seat belts
can reduce your risk of serious
injury.
What you should do: Always wear
your seat belt, and make sure you
wear it properly.
Your Vehicle's Safety Features
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Airbags
Your vehicle has a Supplemental
Restraint System (SRS) with frontal
airbags to help protect the driver and
a front seat passenger.
S R S
This system also includes
an indicator light on the
instrument panel to alert you to a
possible problem with the system.
Following are the most important
things you need to know about your
airbags.
Airbags do not replace seat belts.
They supplement seat belts by
providing extra protection for the
heads and chests of front seat
occupants.
Airbags offer no protection in side
impacts, rear impacts, rollovers,
or minor or moderate collisions.
Airbags are designed to deploy
only during a severe frontal
collision (such as a 25 mph [40
km/h] crash into a parked car of
similar size and weight).
Airbags can pose serious hazards.
To do their job, airbags must
inflate with tremendous force and
speed. So while airbags save lives,
they can cause serious injuries to
adults and larger children who are
not wearing seat belts, are not
wearing them properly, are sitting
too close to the airbag, or are not
sitting in a good position. Infants
and small children are at an even
greater risk of injury or death.
What you should do: Always wear
your seat belt properly and sit
upright and as far back as possible
from the steering wheel or
dashboard.
Driver and Passenger Safety
Your Vehicle's Safety Features
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Seats & Seat-Backs
Your vehicle seats are designed to
keep you in a comfortable, upright
position so you can take full
advantage of the protection offered
by seat belts and the seats' energy
absorbing materials.
How you adjust your seats and seatbacks can also affect your safety. For
example, sitting too close to the
steering wheel or dashboard
increases your risk of being injured
by striking the inside of the vehicle
or being injured by an inflating
airbag.
Reclining a seat-back too far makes
your seat belt less effective and
increases your chance of sliding
under the seat belt and being
seriously injured in a crash.
Driver and Passenger Safety
What you should do: Move the front
seats as far back as possible, and
keep adjustable seat-backs in an
upright position whenever the
vehicle is moving.
Head Restraints
Head restraints can help protect you
from whiplash and other injuries. For
maximum protection, the back of
your head should rest against the
center of the head restraint.
Door Locks
Keeping your doors locked reduces
the chance of being thrown out of
the vehicle during a crash. It also
helps prevent occupants from
accidentally opening a door and
falling out, and outsiders from
unexpectedly opening your doors.
Your Vehicle's Safety Features
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Pre-Drive Safety Checklist
To make sure you and your
passengers get the maximum
protection from your vehicle's safety
features, check the following each
time before you drive away:
All adults, and children who have
outgrown child safety seats, are
wearing their seat belts and
wearing them properly (see page
12).
Any infant or small child is
properly restrained in a child seat
in the back seat (see page 17).
Front seat occupants are sitting as
far back as possible from the
steering wheel and dashboard
(see page 10).
Seat-backs are upright (see page
11).
Head restraints are properly
adjusted (see page 12).
All doors are closed and locked
(see page 10).
All cargo is properly stored or
secured (see page 163).
The rest of this section gives more
detailed information about how you
can maximize your safety.
Remember, however, that no safety
system can prevent all injuries or
deaths that can occur in severe
crashes, even when seat belts are
properly worn and the airbags deploy.
Driver and Passenger Safety
Protecting Adults
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Introduction
The following pages provide
instructions on how to properly
protect the driver and other adult
occupants.
These instructions also apply to
children who have outgrown child
seats and are large enough to wear
lap/shoulder belts. (See page 32 for
important additional guidelines on
how to properly protect larger
children.)
1. Close and Lock the Doors
After everyone has entered the
vehicle, be sure the doors are closed
and locked.
Driver and Passenger Safety
Your vehicle has a door monitor light
on the instrument panel to indicate
when a specific door is not tightly
closed.
For safety, locking the doors reduces
the chance of a passenger, especially
a child, opening a door while the
vehicle is moving and accidentally
falling out. It also reduces the
chance of someone being thrown out
of the vehicle during a crash.
For security, locked doors can
prevent an outsider from
unexpectedly opening a door when
you come to a stop.
See page 70 for how to lock the
doors.
2.Adjust the Front Seats
Any driver who sits too close to the
steering wheel is at risk of being
seriously injured or killed by striking
the steering wheel or being struck
by an inflating airbag during a crash.
Protecting Adults
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To reduce the chance of injury, wear
your seat belt properly, sit upright
with your back against the seat, and
move the seat as far back as possible
from the steering wheel while still
maintaining full control of the car.
Also make sure your front seat
passenger moves their seat as far to
the rear as possible.
Sitting too close to an airbag
can result in serious injury or
death if the airbags inflate.
Always sit as far back from the
airbags as possible.
Most shorter drivers can get far
enough away from the steering
wheel and still reach the pedals.
However, if you are concerned
about sitting too close, we
recommend that you investigate
whether some type of adaptive
equipment may help.
Once your seat is adjusted correctly,
rock it forward and back to make
sure the seat is locked in position.
See page 82 for how to adjust the
front seats.
3.Adjust the Seat-Backs
Adjust the driver's seat-back to a
comfortable, upright position,
leaving ample space between your
chest and the airbag cover in the
center of the steering wheel. If you
sit too close to the steering wheel,
you could be injured if the airbag
inflates.
A front passenger should also adjust
the seat-back to an upright position,
as far from the dashboard as
possible. If the passenger sits too
close to the dashboard, they could
be injured if the airbag inflates.
Driver and Passenger Safety
Protecting Adults
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Reclining a seat-back so that the
shoulder part of the belt no longer
rests against an occupant's chest
reduces the protective capability of
the belt. It also increases the chance
of sliding under the belt and being
seriously injured in a crash. The
farther a seat-back is reclined, the
greater the risk of injury.
Reclining the seat-back too far
can result in serious injury or
death in a crash.
Adjust the seat-back to an
upright position and sit well
back in the seat.
See page 82 for how to adjust seat-
backs.
Driver and Passenger Safety
4.Adjust the Head Restraints
Before driving, make sure everyone
with an adjustable head restraint has
properly positioned the head
restraint. The restraint should be
positioned so the back of the
occupant's head rests against the
center of the restraint. A taller
person should adjust the restraint as
high as possible.
Improperly positioning head
restraints reduces their
effectiveness and you can be
seriously injured in a crash.
Make sure head restraints are
in place and positioned properly
before driving.
Properly adjusted head restraints
will help protect you from whiplash
and other crash injuries.
See page 86 for how to adjust the
head restraints.
5.Fasten and Position the Seat
Belts
Insert the latch plate into the buckle,
then tug on the belt to make sure the
belt is securely latched. Also check
that the belt is not twisted, because a
twisted belt can cause serious
injuries in a crash.
Position the lap part of the belt as
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low as possible across your hips,
then pull up on the shoulder part of
the belt so the lap part fits snugly.
This lets your strong pelvic bones
take the force of a crash and reduces
the chance of internal injuries.
If necessary, pull up on the belt again
to remove any slack from the
shoulder part, then check that the
belt rests across the center of your
chest and over your shoulder. This
spreads the forces of a crash over
the strongest bones in your upper
body.
Improperly positioning the seat
belts can cause serious injury
or death in a crash.
Make sure all seat belts are
properly positioned before
driving.
If the seat belt touches or crosses
your neck, or if it crosses your arm
instead of your shoulder, you need to
adjust the seat belt anchor height.
An improperly positioned seat belt
can cause severe neck injuries if the
belt is positioned too high, or serious
chest or internal injuries if the belt is
positioned too low.
Protecting Adults
To adjust the height of a front seat
belt anchor, squeeze the two release
buttons and slide the anchor up or
down as needed (it has four
positions).
Never place the shoulder portion of a
lap/shoulder belt under your arm or
behind your back. This could cause
very serious injuries in a crash.
CONTINUED
Driver and Passenger Safety
Protecting Adults
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If a Seat Belt Doesn't Work Properly
If your seat belt does not seem to
work as it should, it may not protect
you in a crash. Anyone using an
inoperative seat belt can be seriously
injured or killed. No one should sit in
a seat with an inoperative seat belt.
Have your Honda dealer check the
belt as soon as possible.
See page 38 for additional
information about your seat belt
system and how to take care of your
belts.
Driver and Passenger Safety
6.Adjust the Steering Wheel
Adjust the steering wheel, if needed,
so that the wheel points toward your
chest, not toward your face.
Pointing the steering wheel toward
your face decreases the protective
capability of the driver's airbag.
See page 63 for how to adjust the
steering wheel.
7.Maintain a Proper Sitting
Position
After all occupants have adjusted
their seats and put on seat belts, it is
very important that they continue to
sit upright, with their bodies well
back in their seats and both feet on
the floor, until the car is parked and
the engine is off.
Sitting improperly can increase the
chance of injury during a crash. For
example, if an occupant slouches,
lies down, turns sideways, sits
forward, leans forward, or puts one
or both feet up, their chance of
injury during a crash is greatly
increased.
In addition, if an occupant is out of
position in the front seat, they can be
seriously or fatally injured by
striking interior parts of the vehicle,
or by being struck by an inflating
airbag.
Protecting Adults
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Sitting improperly or out of
position can result in serious
injury or death in a crash.
Always sit upright, well back in
the seat, with your feet on the
floor.
Remember, to get the best
protection from your vehicle's
airbags and other safety features,
you must sit properly and wear your
seat belt properly.
Advice for Pregnant Women
Because protecting the mother is the
best way to protect her unborn child,
a pregnant woman should always
wear a seat belt whenever she drives
or rides in a car.
Remember to keep the lap portion of
the belt as low as possible across
your hips.
Pregnant women should also sit as
far back as possible from the
steering wheel or dashboard. This
will reduce the risk of injuries to
both the mother and her unborn
child that can be caused by a crash
or an inflating airbag.
Each time you have a checkup, ask
your doctor if it's okay for you to
drive.
Driver and Passenger Safety
Protecting Adults
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Additional Safety Precautions
Two people should never use the
same seat belt. If they do, they
could be very seriously injured in a
crash.
Do not put any accessories on seat
belts. Devices intended to improve
occupant comfort, or reposition
the shoulder part of a seat belt,
can severely compromise the
protective capability of seat belts
and increase the chance of serious
injury in a crash.
Driver and Passenger Safety
Do not place hard or sharp objects
between yourself and an airbag.
Carrying hard or sharp objects on
your lap, or driving with a pipe or
other sharp object in your mouth,
can result in injuries if your
airbags inflate.
Keep your hands and arms away
from the airbag covers.
If your hands or arms are close to
the SRS covers in the center of the
steering wheel and on top of the
dashboard, they could be injured if
the airbags inflate.
Children depend on adults to protect
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them. However, despite their best
intentions, many parents and other
adults do not know how to properly
protect young passengers.
So if you have children, or if you ever
need to drive with a grandchild or
other children in your vehicle, be
sure to read this section.
Children who are unrestrained
or improperly restrained can be
seriously injured or killed in a
crash.
Any child too small for a seat
belt should be properly
restrained in a child seat.
Larger children should be
properly restrained with a seat
belt.
Protecting Children
All Children Must Be Restrained
Each year, many children are injured
or killed in vehicle crashes because
they are either unrestrained or not
properly restrained. In fact, vehicle
accidents are the number one cause
of death of children ages 12 and
under.
To reduce the number of child
deaths and injuries, every state and
Canadian province requires that
infants and children be restrained
whenever they ride in a vehicle.
Any child who is too small to wear a
seat belt should be properly
restrained in a child seat. (See page
21.)
Larger children should always be
restrained with a seat belt. (See page
32.)
Driver and Passenger Safety
Protecting Children
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Children Should Sit in the Back
Seat
According to accident statistics,
children of all ages and sizes are
safer when they are restrained in the
back seat, not the front seat. The
National Highway Traffic Safety
Administration recommends that all
children ages 12 and under ride in
the back seat, properly restrained.
In the back seat, children are less
likely to be injured by striking hard
interior vehicle parts during a
collision or hard braking. Also,
children cannot be injured by an
inflating airbag when they ride in the
back.
Driver and Passenger Safety
The Passenger's Airbag Poses
Serious Risks to Children
Airbags have been designed to help
protect adults in a severe frontal
collision. To do this, the passenger's
airbag is quite large, and it inflates
with tremendous speed.
Infants
Never put a rear-facing child seat in
the front seat of a vehicle equipped
with a passenger's airbag. If the
airbag inflates, it can hit the back of
the child seat with enough force to
kill or very seriously injure an infant.
Small Children
Placing a forward-facing child seat in
the front seat of a vehicle equipped
with a passenger's airbag can be
hazardous. If the vehicle seat is too
far forward, or the child's head is
thrown forward during a collision, an
inflating airbag can strike the child
with enough force to kill or very
seriously injure a small child.
Larger Children
Children who have outgrown child
seats are also at risk of being injured
or killed by an inflating passenger
airbag. Whenever possible, larger
children should sit in the back seat,
properly restrained by a seat belt.
(See page 32 for important
information about protecting larger
children.)
Protecting Children
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U.S. Models
To remind you of the passenger
airbag hazards, and that children
must be properly restrained in the
back seat, your vehicle has warning
labels on the dashboard and on the
driver's and front passenger's visors.
Please read and follow the
instructions on these labels.
If You Must Drive with Several
Children
Your vehicle has three seating
positions in the back seat where
children can be properly restrained.
If you ever have to carry more than
three children in your vehicle:
Place the largest child in the front
seat, provided the child is large
enough to wear a seat belt
properly (see page 32).
Move the vehicle seat as far to the
rear as possible (see page 10).
Have the child sit upright and well
back in the seat (see page 14).
Make sure the seat belt is properly
positioned and secured (see page
12).
Driver and Passenger Safety
Protecting Children
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If a Child Requires Close
Attention
Many parents say they prefer to put
an infant or small child in the front
passenger seat so they can watch the
child, or because the child requires
attention.
Placing a child in the front seat
exposes them to hazards from the
airbag, and paying close attention to
a child distracts the driver from the
important tasks of driving, creating
serious safety risks.
If a child requires physical attention
or frequent visual contact, we
strongly recommend that another
adult ride with the child in the back
seat. The back seat is far safer for a
child than the front.
Driver and Passenger Safety
Additional Safety Precautions
Use childproof door locks to
prevent children from opening the
doors. Using this feature will
prevent children from opening the
doors and accidentally falling out
(see page 76).
Use the main power window
switch to prevent children from
opening the rear windows. Using
this feature will prevent children
from playing with the windows,
which could expose them to
hazards or distract the driver (see
page 91).
Do not leave children alone in your
vehicle. Leaving children without
adult supervision is illegal in most
states and can be very hazardous.
For example, infants and small
children left in a vehicle on a hot
day can die from heatstroke. And
children left alone with the key in
the ignition can accidentally set
the vehicle in motion, possibly
injuring themselves or others.
General Guidelines for Using
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Child Seats
The following pages give general
guidelines for selecting and installing
child seats for infants and small
children.
Selecting a Child Seat
To provide proper protection, a child
seat should meet three
requirements:
1. The child seat should meet safety
standards. The child seat should
meet Federal Motor Vehicle
Safety Standard 213 (FMVSS 213)
or Canadian Motor Vehicle Safety
Standards. Look for the
manufacturer's statement of
compliance on the box and seat.
2. The child seat should be of the
proper type and size to fit the child.
Infants: Children up to about one
year old should be restrained in a
rear-facing, reclining child seat. Only
rear-facing seats provide the support
an infant needs to protect their head,
neck, and back. See page 25 for
additional information on protecting
infants.
Protecting Children
Small Children: A child who is too
large for a rear-facing child seat, and
who can sit up without support,
should be restrained in a forwardfacing child seat. See page 29 for
additional information on protecting
small children.
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Driver and Passenger Safety
Protecting Children
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3. The child seat should fit the
vehicle seating position (or
positions) where it will be used.
Due to variations in the design of
child seats, vehicle seats, and seat
belts, all child seats will not fit all
vehicle seating positions.
However, Honda is confident that
one or more child seat models can fit
and be properly installed in all
recommended seating positions in
your vehicle.
Driver and Passenger Safety
Whenever possible, we recommend
that parents test a child seat in the
specific vehicle seating position (or
positions) where they intend to use
the seat before making a purchase. If
a previously purchased child seat
does not fit, you may need to buy a
different one that will fit.
Protecting Children
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Placing a Child Seat
This page briefly summarizes
Honda's recommendations on where
to place rear-facing and forwardfacing child seats in your vehicle.
Airbags Pose Serious
Risks to Children
The passenger's airbag inflates
with enough force to kill or
seriously injure an infant in a
rear-facing child seat.
A small child in a forward-facing
child seat is also at risk. If the
vehicle seat is too far forward,
or the child's head is thrown
forward during a collision, an
inflating airbag can kill or
seriously injure the child.
If a small child must ride in the
front, follow the instructions
provided.
Front Passenger's Seat
Infants: Never in the front seat, due
to the passenger airbag hazard.
Small children: Not recommended,
due to the passenger's airbag
hazard. If a small child must ride
in front, move the vehicle seat to
the rear-most position and secure
a front-facing child seat with the
seat belt, (see page 30 ).
Back Seats
Infants: Recommended positions.
Secure a rear-facing child seat
with the seat belt, (see page 26).
Small children: Recommended
positions. Secure a front-facing
child seat with the seat belt, (see
page 30).
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Driver and Passenger Safety
Protecting Children
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Installing a Child Seat
After selecting a proper child seat,
and a good place to install the seat,
there are three main steps in
installing the seat:
1. Secure the child seat to the car
with a seat belt. All child seats
must be secured to the car with
the lap part of a lap/shoulder belt.
A child whose seat is not properly
secured to the car can be
endangered in a crash. See pages
26 and 30 for instructions on how
to secure child seats in this car.
2. Make sure the child seat is firmly
secured. After installing a child
seat, push and pull the seat
forward and from side to side to
verify that it is secure.
Driver and Passenger Safety
To provide security during normal
driving maneuvers, as well as during
a collision, we recommend that
parents secure a child seat as firmly
as possible.
However, a child seat does not need
to be "rock solid." In some vehicles
or seating positions, it may be
difficult to install a child seat so that
it does not move at all. Some side-toside or forward-and-backward
movement can be expected and
should not reduce the child seat's
effectiveness.
If the child seat is not secure, try
installing it in a different seating
position, or use a different style of
child seat that can be firmly secured
in the desired seating position.
3. Secure the child in the child seat.
Make sure the child is properly
strapped in the child seat
according to the child seat maker's
instructions. A child who is not
properly secured in a child seat
can be thrown out of the seat and
be seriously injured in a crash.
Storing a Child Seat
When you are not using a child seat,
either remove it and store it in a safe
place, or make sure it is properly
secured. An unsecured child seat can
be thrown around the vehicle during
a crash or sudden stop and injure
someone.
Protecting Children
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Protecting Infants
Child Seat Type
To provide proper support for a
baby's head, neck and back, infants
up to about one year of age must be
restrained in a rear-facing child seat.
Two types of seats may be used: a
seat designed exclusively for infants,
or a convertible seat used in the rear-
facing, reclining mode.
Placing a rear-facing child seat
in the front seat can result in
serious injury or death if the
airbags inflate.
Always place a rear-facing child
seat in the back seat, not the
front.
We recommend that an infant stay in
a rear-facing child seat as long as
possible, until they reach the seat
maker's weight or height limit and
are able to sit up without support.
Infant Seat Placement
In this vehicle, a rear-facing child
seat can be placed in any seating
position in the back seat, but not in
the front seat.
Never put a rear-facing child seat in
the front seat. If the passenger's
airbag inflates, it can hit the back of
the child seat with enough force to
kill or seriously injure an infant. If an
infant must be closely watched, we
recommend that another adult sit in
the back seat with the baby.
Do not put a rear-facing child seat in
a forward-facing position. If an
infant faces forward, they could be
very seriously injured during a
frontal collision.
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Driver and Passenger Safety
Protecting Children
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Infant Seat Installation
The lap/shoulder belts in the back
seats have a locking mechanism that
must be activated to secure a child
seat.
The following pages provide
instructions on how to secure a rearfacing child seat with this type of
seat belt.
Driver and Passenger Safety
1. With the child seat in the desired
back seating position, route the
belt through the child seat
according to the seat maker's
instructions, then insert the latch
plate into the buckle.
2. To activate the lockable retractor,
slowly pull the shoulder part of the
belt all the way out until it stops,
then let the belt feed back into the
retractor (you might hear a
clicking noise as the belt retracts).
3. After the belt has retracted, tug on
it. If the belt is locked, you will not
be able to pull it out. If you can pull
the belt out, it is not locked and
you will need to repeat these steps.
Protecting Children
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Infant Seat Installation Tips
4. After confirming that the belt is
locked, grab the shoulder part of
the belt near the buckle and pull
up to remove any slack from the
lap part of the belt. Remember, if
the lap part of the belt is not tight,
the child seat will not be secure.
To remove slack, it may help to
put weight on the child seat, or
push on the back of the seat while
pulling up on the belt.
5. Push and pull the child seat
forward and from side to side to
verify that it is secure enough to
stay upright during normal driving
maneuvers. If the child seat is not
secure, unlatch the belt, allow it to
retract fully, then repeat these
steps.
To deactivate the locking
mechanism in order to remove a
child seat, unlatch the buckle,
unroute the seat belt, and let the belt
fully retract.
For proper protection, an infant must
ride in a reclined, or semi-reclined
position. To determine the proper
reclining angle, check with the baby's
doctor or follow the seat maker's
recommendations.
To achieve the desired reclining
angle, it may help to put a rolled up
towel under the toe of the child seat,
as shown above.
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Driver and Passenger Safety
Protecting Children
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When properly installed, a rearfacing child seat may prevent the
driver or a front-seat passenger from
moving their seat as far back as
recommended (see page 10). Or it
may prevent them from locking their
seat-back in the desired upright
position (see page 11).
In either case, we recommend that
you place the child seat directly
behind the front passenger seat,
move the front seat as far forward as
needed, and leave it unoccupied. You
may also wish to get a smaller child
seat that allows you to safely carry a
front passenger.
Driver and Passenger Safety
Additional Precautions for Infants
Never hold a baby on your lap. If
you are not wearing a seat belt in a
crash, you could be thrown
forward into the dashboard and
crush the child.
If you are wearing a seat belt, the
baby can be torn from your arms.
For example, if the vehicle crashes
into a parked vehicle at 30 mph
(48 km/h), a 20 Ibs (9 kg) baby
will become a 600 Ibs (275 kg)
force, and you will not be able to
hold it.
Never put a seat belt over yourself
and a baby. During acrash, the
belt could press deep into the child
and cause very serious injuries.
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