HONDA FIT 2011 2.G Owners Manual

Tire Inspection
Every time you check inflation, you
should also examine the tires for
damage, foreign objects, and wear.
You should look for: Bumps or bulges in the tread or
side of the tire. Replace the tire if
you find either of these conditions.
Cuts, splits, or cracks in the side of
the tire. Replace the tire if you can
see fabric or cord.
Excessive tread wear.
Your tires have wear indicators
molded into the tread. When the
tread wears down, you will see a 1/2
inch (12.7 mm) wide band across the
tread. This shows there is less than
1/16 inch (1.6 mm) of tread left on
the tire.
A tire this worn gives very little
traction on wet roads. You should
replace the tire if you can see three
or more tread wear indicators. Tire Service Life
The service life of your tires is
dependent on many factors,
including, but not limited to, driving
habits, road conditions, vehicle
loading, inflation pressure,
maintenance history, speed, and
environmental conditions (even
when the tires are not in use).
In addition to your regular
inspections and inflation pressure
maintenance, it is recommended that
you have annual inspections
performed once the tires reach five
years old. It is also recommended
that all tires, including the spare, be
removed from service after 10 years
from the date of manufacture,
regardless of their condition or state
of wear.
The last four digits of the TIN (tire
identification number) are found on
the sidewall of the tire and indicate
the date of manufacture (See
Tire
Labeling on page 325).
INDICATOR LOCATION MARK
TREAD WEAR INDICATOR
CONTINUED
Tires
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Tire Maintenance
In addition to proper inflation, correct
wheel alignment helps to decrease
tire wear. If you find a tire is worn
unevenly, have your dealer check the
wheel alignment.
Have your dealer check the tires if
you feel a consistent vibration while
driving. A tire should always be
rebalanced if it is removed from the
wheel. When you have new tires
installed, make sure they are
balanced. This increases riding
comfort and tire life. For best results,
have the installer perform a dynamicbalance.
On vehicles with aluminum wheels,
improper wheel weights can damage
your vehicle's aluminum wheels. Use
only Honda wheel weights forbalancing.Tire Rotation
To help increase tire life and
distribute wear more evenly, rotate
the tires according to the
maintenance messages displayed on
the information display. Move the
tires to the positions shown in the
illustration each time they are
rotated. If you purchase directional
tires, rotate only front-to-back.
When the tires are rotated, make
sure the air pressures are checked.Replacing Tires and Wheels
Replace your tires with radial tires of
the same size, load range, speed
rating, and maximum cold tire
pressure rating (as shown on the
tire's sidewall).
Mixing radial and bias-ply tires on
your vehicle can reduce braking
ability, traction, and steering
accuracy. Using tires of a different
size or construction can cause the
ABS and vehicle stability assist
system (VSA)
to work
inconsistently.
The ABS and VSA system
work by
comparing the speed of the wheels.
When replacing tires, use the same
size originally supplied with the
vehicle. Tire size and construction
can affect wheel speed and may
cause the system to activate.  : If equipped
Front Front
(For Non-directional
Tires and Wheels) (For Directional
Tires and Wheels)
Tires
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It is best to replace all four tires at
the same time. If that is not possible
or necessary, replace the two front
tires or two rear tires as a pair.
Replacing just one tire can seriously
affect your vehicle's handling.
If you ever replace a wheel, make
sure that the wheel's specifications
match those of the original wheels.
Also be sure you use only TPMS
specific wheels (if equipped). If you
do not, the tire pressure monitoring
system will not work.
Replacement wheels are available at
your dealer.
Installing improper tires on your
vehicle can affect handling and
stability. This can cause a crash
in which you can be seriously
hurt or killed.
Always use the size and type of
tires recommended in this
owner's manual.Wheel and Tire Specifications Wheels:All models except Sport
15 x 5 1/2J
Sport model
16 x 6J
Tires:
All models except Sport
175/65R15 84S
Sport model
185/55R16 83H
See page 323 for DOT tire quality
grading information, and page 325
for tire size and labeling information.
CONTINUED
Tires
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Winter Driving
Tires marked‘‘M ＋ S’’ or ‘‘All
Season ’’on the sidewall have an all-
weather tread design suitable for
most winter driving conditions.
For the best performance in snowy
or icy conditions, you should install
snow tires or tire chains. They may
be required by local laws under
certain conditions.
Snow Tires
If you mount snow tires on your
vehicle, make sure they are radial
tires of the same size and load range
as the original tires. Mount snow
tires on all four wheels. The traction
provided by snow tires on dry roads
may be lower than your original tires.
Check with the tire dealer for
maximum speed recommendations.
Tire Chains
Mount tire chains on your tires when
required by driving conditions or
local laws. Install them only on the
front tires.
Because your vehicle has limited tire
clearance, Honda strongly
recommends using the chains listed
below, made by Security Chain
Company (SCC).
All models except Sport
SC1026
Sport model
SC1030
When installing cables, follow the
manufacturer's instructions, and
mount them as tight as you can.
Make sure they are not contacting
the brake lines or suspension. Drive
slowly with them installed. If you
hear them coming into contact with
the body or chassis, stop and
investigate. Remove them as soon as
you begin driving on cleared roads.
Traction devices that are the wrong size
or improperly installed can damage
your vehicle's brake lines, suspension,
body, and wheels. Stop driving if they
are hitting any part of the vehicle.
Using the wrong chains, or not
properly installing chains, can
damage the brake lines and
cause a crash in which you can
be seriously injured or killed.
Follow all instructions in this
owner's manual regarding the
selection and use of tire chains.
Tires
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Wheels
Clean the wheels as you would the
rest of the exterior. Wash them with
the same solution, and rinse themthoroughly.
If equipped
Aluminum alloy wheels have a
protective clear-coat that keeps the
aluminum from corroding and
tarnishing. Cleaning the wheels with
harsh chemicals (including some
commercial wheel cleaners) or a stiff
brush can damage the clear-coat. To
clean the wheels, use a mild
detergent and a soft brush or sponge.Checking the Battery
Check the condition of the battery
monthly by looking at the test
indicator window. The label on the
battery explains the test indicator'scolors.
The location of the test indicator
window varies between
manufacturers.Check the terminals for corrosion (a
white or yellowish powder). To
remove it, cover the terminals with a
solution of baking soda and water. It
will bubble up and turn brown. When
this stops, wash it off with plain
water. Dry off the battery with a cloth
or paper towel. Coat the terminals
with grease to help prevent futurecorrosion.
If additional battery maintenance is
needed, see your dealer or a
qualified technician.
TEST INDICATOR WINDOW
CONTINUED
Tires, Checking the Battery
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WARNING:Battery posts,
terminals, and related accessories
contain lead and lead compounds.
Wash your hands after handling.
If you need to connect the battery to
a charger, disconnect both cables to
prevent damaging your vehicle's
electrical system. Always disconnect
the negative ( ) cable first, and
reconnect it last.
On vehicles without navigation system
If your vehicle's battery is
disconnected, or goes dead, the time
setting is lost. To reset the time, see
page 193.
If your vehicle's battery is
disconnected, or goes dead, the
audio system may disable itself. The
next time you turn on the radio, you
will see ‘‘ENTER CODE ’’in the
frequency display. Use the preset
buttons to enter the code (see page192).
The battery gives off explosive
hydrogen gas during normaloperation.
A spark or flame can cause the
battery to explode with enough
force to kill or seriously hurtyou.
Wear protective clothing and a
face shield, or have a skilled
technician do the batterymaintenance.
On vehicles with navigation system
The navigation system will also
disable itself. The next time you turn
on the ignition switch, the system
will require you to enter ‘‘ENTER
CODE ’’before it can be used. Refer
to the navigation system manual.
Checking the Battery
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If you need to park your vehicle for
an extended period (more than 1
month), there are several things you
should do to prepare it for storage.
Proper preparation helps prevent
deterioration and makes it easier to
get your vehicle back on the road. If
possible, store your vehicle indoors. Fill the fuel tank.
Wash and dry the exteriorcompletely.
Clean the interior. Make sure the
carpeting, floor mats, etc., are
completely dry.
Leave the parking brake off. Put
the transmission in reverse
(manual) or Park (automatic).
Block the rear wheels.
If the vehicle is to be stored for a
longer period, it should be
supported on jackstands so the
tires are off the ground.
Leave one window open slightly (if
the vehicle is being storedindoors).
Disconnect the battery.
Support the front and rear wiper
blade arms with a folded towel or
rag so they do not touch thewindshield.
To minimize sticking, apply a
silicone spray lubricant to all door
and tailgate seals. Also, apply a
vehicle body wax to the painted
surfaces that mate with the door
and tailgate seals.
Cover the vehicle with a‘‘breathable ’’cover, one made from
a porous material such as cotton.
Non-porous materials, such as
plastic sheeting, trap moisture,
which can damage the paint.
If possible, periodically run the
engine until it reaches full
operating temperature (the cooling
fans cycle on and off twice).
Preferably, do this once a month.
Vehicle Storage
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This section covers the more
common problems that motorists
experience with their vehicles. It
gives you information about how to
safely evaluate the problem and what
to do to correct it. If the problem has
stranded you on the side of the road,
you may be able to get going again. If
not, you will also find instructions on
getting your vehicle towed.Compact Spare Tire
....................286
Changing a Flat Tire ...................287
Temporarily Repairing a Flat Tire ......................................... 293
If the Engine Won't Start .............299
Jump Starting .............................. 301
If the Engine Overheats ..............303
Low Oil Pressure Indicator .........305
Charging System Indicator .........305
Malfunction Indicator Lamp ........306
Brake System Indicator ...............307
Fuses .......................................... 308
Fuse Locations ............................ 311
Emergency Towing .....................313
If Your Vehicle Gets Stuck ..........314
Taking Care of the Unexpected
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Except all Canadian models withautomatic transmission
Use the compact spare tire as a
temporary replacement only. Get
your regular tire repaired or
replaced, and put it back on your
vehicle as soon as you can.
Check the inflation pressure of the
compact spare tire every time you
check the other tires. It should be
inflated to:
60 psi (420 kPa, 4.2 kgf/cm
2) Follow these precautions:
Never exceed 50 mph (80 km/h).
This tire gives a harsher ride and
less traction on some road
surfaces. Use greater caution while driving.
Do not mount tire chains on the
compact spare tire.
Do not use your compact spare tire
on another vehicle unless it is the
same make and model.
On vehicles with the TPMS
system, the low tire pressure
indicator comes on and stays on
after you replace the flat tire with
the compact spare tire. After
several miles (kilometers) driving
with the compact spare tire, the
TPMS indicator comes on and the
low tire pressure indicator goesoff.Replace the tire when you can see
the tread wear indicator bars. The
replacement should be the same size
and design tire, mounted on the
same wheel. The spare tire is not
designed to be mounted on a regular
wheel, and the spare wheel is not
designed for mounting a regular tire.
INDICATOR LOCATION MARK
TREAD WEAR INDICATOR BAR
Compact Spare Tire
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