battery HONDA FIT 2008 1.G User Guide

Mount tire chains on your tires when
required by driving conditions or
local laws. Install them only on the
f ront tires.
Because your vehicle has limited tire
clearance, mount only SAE Class ‘‘S’’
cable-type traction devices, with
rubber chain tensioners, on the f ront
tires. Use traction devices only when
required by driving conditions or
local laws. Make sure they are the
correct size f or your tires. Metal link-
type ‘‘chains’’ should not be used. Check the condition of the batterymonthlybylookingatthetest
indicator window. The label on the
battery explains the test indicator’s
colors. The test indicator window’s
location dif f ers according to the
battery manuf acturer.
When installing cables, f ollow the
manuf acturer’s instructions, and
mount them as tight as you can.
Make sure they are not contacting
the brake lines or suspension. Drive
slowly with them installed. If you
hear them coming into contact with
the body or chassis, stop and
investigate. Remove them as soon as
you begin driving on cleared roads.
Tires, Checking the Battery
Checking the BatteryT ire Chains
214
TEST INDICATOR WINDOW
Traction devices that are the wrong
size or improperly installed can
damage your vehicle’s brake lines,
suspension, body, and wheels. Stop
driving if they are hitting any part of
the vehicle.
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µ
Check the terminals f or corrosion (a
white or yellowish powder). To
remove it, cover the terminals with a
solution of baking soda and water. It
will bubble up and turn brown. When
this stops, wash it of f with plain
water. Dry off the battery with a
cloth or paper towel. Coat the
terminals with grease to help prevent
f uture corrosion.
If your vehicle’s battery is
disconnected, or goes dead, the
audio system may disable itself . The
nexttimeyouturnontheradio,you
will see ‘‘ENTER CODE’’ in the
f requency display. Use the preset
bars to enter the code (see page).
Battery posts,
terminals, and related accessories
contain lead and lead compounds.
If you need to connect the battery to
a charger, disconnect both cables to
prevent damaging your vehicle’s
electrical system. Always disconnect
the negative ( ) cable first, and
reconnect it last.
If your vehicle’s battery is
disconnected, or goes dead, the time
setting is lost. To reset the time, see
page .
If additional battery maintenance is
needed, see your dealer or a
qualif ied technician.
129
128
WARNING:
Wash your hands af ter handling.
Checking the Battery
Maint enance
215
The battery gives off explosive
hydrogen gas during normal
operation.
A spark or flame can cause the
battery to explode with enough
force to kill or seriously hurt you.
Wear protective clothing and a
face shield, or have a skilled
technician do the battery
maintenance.
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Cover the vehicle with a
‘‘breathable’’ cover, one made
f rom a porous material such as
cotton. Non-porous materials, such
as plastic sheeting, trap moisture,
which can damage the paint.
If possible, periodically run the
engine until it reaches f ull
operating temperature (the
cooling f ans cycle on and of f
twice). Pref erably, do this once a
month.
If you need to park your vehicle f or
an extended period (more than 1
month), there are several things you
should do to prepare it f or storage.
Proper preparation helps prevent
deterioration and makes it easier to
get your vehicle back on the road. If
possible, store your vehicle indoors.
Fill the f uel tank.
Wash and dry the exterior
completely.
Cleantheinterior.Makesurethe
carpeting, floor mats, etc., are
completely dry.
Leave the parking brake off. Put
the transmission in reverse
(manual) or Park (automatic).
Block the rear wheels. If the vehicle is to be stored f or a
longer period, it should be
supported on jackstands so the
tires are of f the ground.
Leave one window open slightly (if
the vehicle is being stored
indoors).
Disconnect the battery.
Support the f ront and rear wiper
blade arms with a f olded towel or
ragsotheydonottouchthe
windshield.
To minimize sticking, apply a
silicone spray lubricant to all door
and tailgate seals. Also, apply a
vehiclebodywaxtothepainted
surfaces that mate with the door
and tailgate seals.
Vehicle Storage
216
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When you turn the ignition switch to
the START (III) position, you do not
hear the normal noise of the engine
trying to start. You may hear a
clicking sound, a series of clicks, or
nothing at all.
Check these things:Check the transmission interlock.
If you have a manual transmission,
the clutch pedal must be pushed
all the way to the f loor or the
starter will not operate. With an
automatic transmission, it must be
in Park or neutral.
Turn the ignition switch to the ON
(II) position. Turn on the
headlights, and check their
brightness. If the headlights are
very dim or do not come on at all,
the battery is discharged. See on page .
You can hear the starter motor
operating normally, or the starter
motor sounds like it is spinning
f aster than normal, but the engine
does not start up and run.
You hear nothing, or almost
nothing. The engine’s starter
motor does not operate at all, or
operates very slowly.
Diagnosing why the engine won’t
start f alls into two areas, depending
on what you hear when you turn the
ignition switch to the START (III)
position:
Make sure the wire support ring is
ontheoutersideof thetirevalve
as shown.
3.
226
Changing a Flat Tire, If the Engine Won’t Start
Nothing Happens or the Starter
Motor Operates Very Slowly
Jump Starting
If the Engine Won’t Start
224
WIRE SUPPORT RING
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Turn the ignition switch to the
START (III) position. If the
headlights do not dim, check the
condition of the f uses. If the f uses
areOK,thereisprobably
something wrong with the
electrical circuit for the ignition
switch or starter motor. You will
need a qualif ied technician to
determine the problem. Seeon page .
If the headlights dim noticeably or
go out when you try to start the
engine, either the battery is
discharged or the connections are
corroded. Check the condition of the
battery and terminal connections
(see page ). You can then try
jump starting the vehicle from a
booster battery (see page ). In this case, the starter motor’s
speed sounds normal, or even f aster
than normal, when you turn the
ignition switch to the START (III)
position, but the engine does not run.
Are you using the proper starting
procedure? Ref er to on page .
Are you using a properly coded
key? An improperly coded key will
cause the immobilizer system
indicator in the instrument panel
to blink rapidly (see page ). Do you have f uel? Check the f uel
gauge; the low f uel indicator may
not be working.
There may be an electrical
problem, such as no power to the
f uel pump. Check all the f uses
(see page ).
If youfindnothingwrong,youwill
need a qualif ied technician to f ind
the problem. See on page .
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238
214 226 233
238
If theEngineWon’tStart
Emergency T owing T he Starter Operates Normally
Starting the
Engine Emergency
Towing
T aking Care of t he Unexpect ed
225
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Although this seems like a simple
procedure, you should take several
precautions.
You cannot start your vehicle with an
automatic transmission by pushing
or pulling it.The numbers in the illustration show
you the order to connect the jumper
cables.
Open the hood, and check the
physical condition of the battery.
In very cold weather, check the
condition of the electrolyte. If it
seems slushy or f rozen, do not try
jump starting until it thaws.
Turn of f all the electrical
accessories: heater, A/C (if
equipped), audio system, lights,
etc. Put the transmission in neutral
(manual) or Park (automatic), and
set the parking brake.
1.
2.To Jump Start Your Vehicle:
Jump Starting
226
BOOSTER BATTERY
A battery can explode if you do
not follow the correct procedure,
seriously injuring anyone
nearby.
Keep all sparks, open flames,
and smoking materials away
from the battery.
If a battery sits in extreme cold, the
electrolyte inside can f reeze.
Attempting to jump start with a f rozen
battery can cause it to rupture.
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´´ µIf the booster battery is in another
vehicle, have an assistant start
that vehicle and run it at a fast idle.
Start your vehicle. If the starter
motor still operates slowly, check
that the jumper cables have good
metal-to-metal contact.
Once your vehicle is running,
disconnect the negative cable f rom
your vehicle, then f rom the
booster battery. Disconnect the
positive cable f rom your vehicle,
then from the booster battery.
Connect one jumper cable to the
positive ( ) terminal on your
battery. Connect the other end to
the positive ( ) terminal on the
booster battery. Keep the ends of the jumper cables
away from each other and any metal
on the vehicle until everything is
disconnected. Otherwise, you may
cause an electrical short.
Connect the second jumper cable
to the negative ( ) terminal on
the booster battery. Connect the
other end to the stay as shown. Do
not connect this jumper cable to
any other part of the engine.
3. 4. 5.
6.
7.
Jump Starting
T aking Care of t he Unexpect ed
227
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Let the vehicle sit f or a minute.
Open the hood, and check the oil
level (see page ). An engine
very low on oil can lose pressure
during cornering and other driving
maneuvers.
If necessary, add oil to bring the
level back to the full mark on the
dipstick (see page ).If the charging system
indicator comes on brightly
when the engine is running, the
battery is not being charged.
Immediately turn of f all electrical
accessories. Try not to use other
electrically operated controls such as
the power windows. Keep the engine
running; starting the engine will
discharge the battery rapidly.
Go to a service station or garage
where you can get technical
assistance.
Saf ely pull of f the road, and shut
of f the engine. Turn on the hazard
warning lights.
This indicator should never
come on when the engine is
running. If it starts f lashing or stays
on, the oil pressure has dropped very
low or lost pressure. Serious engine
damage is possible, and you should
take immediate action.
Start the engine, and watch the oil
pressure indicator. If it does not go
out within 10 seconds, turn of f the
engine. There is a mechanical
problem that needs to be repaired
bef ore you can continue driving
(see on page).
1.
2.
4.
3.
139
187
238
L ow Oil Pressure Indicator Charging System Indicator
Emergency T owing
L ow Oil Pressure Indicator, Charging System Indicator
230
Running the engine with low oil
pressure can cause serious mechanical
damage almost immediately. Turn of f
the engine as soon as you can saf ely get
the vehicle stopped.
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If your vehicle has an automatic
transmission, the malf unction
indicator lamp may also come on
with the ‘‘D’’ indicator.
If you have recently ref ueled your
vehicle, the indicator coming on
could be due to a loose or missing
f uel f ill cap. You will also see a
‘‘CHECK FUEL CAP’’ message on
the inf ormation display. Tighten the
cap until it clicks at least once.
Tightening the cap will not turn the
indicator of f immediately; it can take
several days of normal driving. If the indicator comes on repeatedly,
even though it may go of f as you
continue driving, have your vehicle
checked by a dealer as soon as
possible.
If this indicator comes on
while driving, it means one
of the engine’s emissions control
systems may have a problem. Even
though you may f eel no dif f erence in
your vehicle’s perf ormance, it can
reduce your f uel economy and cause
increased emissions. Continued
operation may cause serious damage.
Your vehicle has certain ‘‘readiness
codes’’ that are part of the on-board
diagnostics f or the emissions
systems. In some states, part of the
emissions testing is to make surethese codes are set. If they are not
set, the test cannot be completed.
If the battery in your vehicle has
been disconnected or gone dead,
these codes are erased. It takes at
least three days of driving under
various conditions to set the codes
again.
To check if they are set, turn the
ignition switch to the ON (II)
position, without starting the engine.
The malf unction indicator lamp will
come on f or 20 seconds. If it then
goes of f , the readiness codes are set.
If it blinks f ive times, the readiness
codes are not set. If possible, do not
take your vehicle f or an emissions
test until the readiness codes are set.
Refer to for
more information (see page ).
254
Malf unction Indicator L amp
Readiness Codes Emissions T esting
T aking Care of t he Unexpect ed
231
If you keep driving with the
malf unction indicator lamp on, you can
damage your vehicle’s emissions
controls and engine. Those repairs may
not be covered by your vehicle’s
warranties.
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The vehicle’s f uses are contained in
threefuseboxes.The primary under-hood f use box is
in the engine compartment on the
driver’s side. To open it, push the
tabs as shown.
The interior f use box is behind the
driver’s coin tray. To access it,
removethetraybyturningthedial
counterclockwise then pulling it
toward you. To install the coin tray,
line up the tabs on the bottom, pivot
the tray up to engage its side clips,
then turn the dial clockwise. The secondary f use box is on the
positive terminal of the battery.
Fuses
T aking Care of t he Unexpect ed
233
TAB
INTERIOR
DIALUNDER-HOOD UNDER-HOOD
(On Battery)
DRIVER’S COIN TRAY
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