steering wheel HONDA PRELUDE 1990 Owners Manual

Seat Belts

Your Honda is provided with seat belts to minimize the chance ofinjury to yourself and your passengers in a sudden stop or accident.
For precautions on using seat belts for children, babies and pregnantwomen, see pages 14 through 16.
Seat belts are most effective when the driver and passengers are
sitting up straight and well back in the seat.
In the event of a collision, occupants not wearing seat belts could
be seriously or fatally injured. Make sure you and all your passengers ALWAYS put on the seat belts before driving away.
CAUTION:
Be careful the seat belts are not damaged by catching or
entangling in the door or seat mechanism.
Wearing the Front Seat Belts The automatic ("passive") lap/shoulder belt system with emergency locking retractors are designed to lock only during a sudden stop or
impact. Otherwise, they allow you some freedom of movement in
the seat.
NOTE:
The motion-sensing lock mechanisms for the front belts are located in the doors, therefore, if you open the door too quickly, the belt
may lock and the door cannot be opened further. If this happens,
close the door and open it again more slowly.
1. Enter the car and close the door completely. If the door is not closed completely, the belt will not function properly, the warning
light on the instrument panel will come on and the beeper will
sound when the ignition switch is in the ON position. See page

13
Never drive the car with the doors ajar. The doors must be closed
completely for the front seat belts to function properly.
2. Move the seat a comfortable distance from the steering wheel, sit as straight up as possible and well back in the seat.
3. Position the belt across your lap, not your abdomen, as low on your hips as possible. Be sure the belt is not twisted.ProCarManuals.comMain Menu t s

Tilt Steering
The steering wheel position can be adjusted to suit driver preference.

1.Pull toward you and hold the
lever at the bottom left of the
steering column, and adjust the
steering wheel to the desired position.
2. To lock the steering wheel, hold it in the desired position
and release the lever. TILT STEERING
ADJUSTMENT

LEVER

Do not adjust the steering wheel position while driving. After adjusting the steering wheel position, make sure it is
securely locked in place by "rocking" it up and down sightly.ProCarManuals.comMain Menu s t

Lights

FIRST
STOP

Turn Signals

Push the turn signal lever down to
signal a left turn, and up for a right

turn. The indicator and
appropriate signal lights will blink.
The lever will return automatically
to its original position when the
steering wheel is returned to

straight ahead.
For lane changing, you can signal by pushing the lever part way up
or down (to the first stop) and holding it there; the lever will return
to its original position when you release it. If either turn signal
indicator lights up but does not blink, blinks faster than usual, or
does not light up at all, check for a burned out bulb or fuse.
FIRST POSITION
Turn
SECOND
POSITION

Headlights

Turn the light switch to the first position ( ) for taillights, side

marker lights, position lights,

license plate lights, and

instrument panel lights. Turn to the second position ( ) to raise

and add the headlights.

When the switch is returned from the second to the first position,
the headlights will go off but will not retract; they retract when the light switch is turned to OFF.
If the driver's door is opened when the light switch is turned to
either "on" position, a chime will sound to remind you to turn off
your lights.
If you wish to raise or retract the headlights when the light switch is
off (to use them as a passing signal for example), you may do so bypushing the headlight motor switch, located on the left side of the
instrument panel; see page 32 for instructions on its use.

CAUTION:

Do not operate the headlight switch or headlight motor switch if
anyone's hands are near the headlights. FIRST
STOP
RIGHT
TURN
LEFT TURNProCarManuals.comMain Menu t s

Cruise Control
Cruise Control
The Cruise Control system allows you to set and automatically maintain any speed above 30 mph (45 km/h) without keeping your
foot on the accelerator. As its name implies, it is meant for cruising

on straight, uncongested highways or freeways. It is not

recommended to be used in traffic, on winding roads or in bad weather conditions where the driver should have total control.
To Set the Cruise Control:
Push the CRUISE CONTROL

master switch on the dash; the
indicator light will come on. Accelerate to the desired
speed, then, push and release

the SET switch on the
steering wheel. The Cruise
Control light on the

instrument panel will come

on.

The speed you were going when you released the SET switch is the speed the Cruise Control will hold. You can then "fine tune" the set
speed by briefly holding and releasing the SET switch to decrease it
a few mph or pushing the RESUME switch to slightly increase it.
To Cancel the Cruise Control:
Push the CRUISE CONTROL

master switch and the indicator
light will go off (this also erases the memory of the set speed), if you must temporarily disengage the system (but you wish to
retain the memory of the set speed): tap the brake pedal, or the clutch pedal (manual transmission) or move the automatic trans-mission shift lever to N (Neutral). If you are still going above 30 mph(45 km/h), you can return to the set speed by simply pushing the
RESUME switch. If the car has decelerated below approximately 30 mph (45 km/h),you can return to the set speed by using the ac-
celerator conventionally until your speed is above 30 mph (45 km/h) and then pushing the RESUME switch.
MASTER SWITCH

RESUME SWITCH Push

SET SWITCH

(cont'd)ProCarManuals.comMain Menu t s

Ignition Switch
The combined ignition switch/anti-theft lock is located on the right side of the steering column and has four positions:
0-LOCK position: The key can be removed or inserted in thisposition. To remove the key, push it in at position I, then turn it to
0 and pull it out. When the key is removed, the steering column

will lock.

NOTE:

On cars equipped with automatic transmissions, the transmission
must be in Park before pushing and turning the key to the O-LOCK position.
Never turn the ignition switch to the lock position or remove the
key while the car is in motion; the steering wheel can lock causing
a loss of directional control, and an accident could result. I-ACCESSORY position: In this position, the accessory circuit is

on, but the ignition circuit is off.
If the key is difficult to turn from the 0 to the I position, turn the

steering wheel slightly to relieve pressure on the lock.
II-ON position: This Is the normal running position.
III-START position: The starter will engage when the key is
turned to this position.
To remind you to remove the ignition key when leaving your car, a beeper will sound if the key is still in the ignition when you open the
driver's door. The beeper system is deactivated when you turn the ignition to 0 (Lock) and fully remove the key.ProCarManuals.comMain Menu t s

Four Wheel Steering (Si with 4WS)
The four wheel steering system (4WS) provides limited steering of the rear wheels, in addition to the normal steering of the front wheels. The system is "steering angle dependent." That is,
depending on how far the steering wheel is turned, the rear wheels
are steered in either the same or the opposite direction of the front
wheels.
When the steering wheel is turned a
moderate amount, up to

approximately one half turn, the rear wheels are steered in the same
direction as the front wheels. For

example, during lane changing and
on gentle curves, the front and rearwheels steer in the same direction. Moderate turns Sharper turns
When the steering wheel is turned
more than approximately one half
turn, the rear wheels are steered in

the opposite direction of the front

wheels. This reduces the turning
radius of the car for easier parking,

U-turns, and maneuvering in

confined spaces.
Moderate turns
Conventional steering

(cont'd)

Same direction


Opposite direction
4WS Sharper turnsProCarManuals.comMain Menu t s

Four Wheel Steering (cont'd)

CAUTION:

If the car is very close to a wall or other obstacle, the rear of the
body can swing enough to contact the obstacle when turning very sharply. Go slowly, and use both outside mirrors.

Conventional steering
4WSProCarManuals.comMain Menu t s

Towing a Trailer (cont'd)

Towing Safety

Stopping distance will be increased when towing a trailer. For
each 10 mph (16 km/h) of speed, allow at least two car lengths between you and the vehicle ahead. Avoid sudden braking
which may cause trailer jackknifing and loss of control.
Avoid jerky starts and sudden acceleration. If your car has amanual transmission, always start out in first gear and release
the clutch at moderate engine rpm.
Avoid rapid lane changing and sharp turns. The trailer could hit your car in a tight turn. Slow down before making a turn.
Remember, the total length of your car plus trailer will require a
wider turning circle.
Crosswinds may adversely affect handling of your car and
trailer, Use the rearview mirrors frequently to warn you of approaching large vehicles that may pass you causing your car
and trailer to sway. When being passed, firmly grip the steering wheel and be prepared to reduce speed immediately but
gradually. Never increase speed. Steer straight ahead.
Towing a trailer in bad weather will magnify any difficulty in
controlling the car caused by the weather itself. Avoid sudden maneuvers: slow down and use extra caution.
Be careful when passing other vehicles. Passing requires
considerable distance because of the added weight and length

of your trailer.ProCarManuals.comMain Menu t s

CAUTION:
Before starting out, check the operation of the lights and all car/
trailer connections. After driving a short distance, stop and
recheck the lights and connections.
Reversing is difficult and requires practice. While backing-up,
the trailer may pivot off-course. To correct for this, grip the bottom of the steering wheel and move your hand to the left to
move the trailer to the left, or to the right to move the trailer to
the right. Turn the steering wheel a little at a time, and keep the
speed very low. Have someon e guide you when backing.

To help
prevent overheating of the brakes, shift into a lower
gear to make use of engine braking before descending steep or
long grades. Do not make sudden downshifts. Pay strict attention to the coolant temperature gauge when
going up hills. Because of the added load of the trailer, your car's
engine may overheat on hot days. Turning off the air conditioner
will reduce the load on the cooling system.
On cars equipped with automatic transmission. —Do not hold the car stationary on an incline by using the accelerator pedal; this can cause the transmission fluid tooverheat. Instead, use the handbrake or footbrake.
—When towing trailers, avoid high transmission fluid temperatures (caused by the transmission frequently shiftingbetween 3rd and 4th gears) by driving in S3.

NOTE:

Be sure to check state and local laws concerning maximum speed or

other driving restrictions for cars towing trailers. If you are driving
across several states, check each state's requirements before

leaving home, because restrictions may vary.

Parking with a Trailer

Whenever parking your car on an incline with a trailer attached, first
place and seat chocks at each wheel of the car and trailer. This is in

addition to the normal parking preparations of firmly applying the parking brake and placing the transmission in first or reverse
(manual transmission) or P (automatic transmission).

CAUTION:
Parking on an incline is not recommended and should be done only
if it cannot be avoided. Follow all precautions mentioned above
and turn the wheels to point towards a curb if facing downhill,
away from a curb if facing uphill. When leaving an inclined parking place, move the car slightly to unseat the chocks. Then while
keeping the foot brakes firmly applied, have an assistant remove
the chocks.ProCarManuals.comMain Menu t s

Power Steering
The power steering on your car provides easy handling while parking and maneuvering in traffic, without loss of road "feel" at
highway speeds. An engine-driven hydraulic pump provides full
power assist at low speeds and decreasing assist as the car goes

faster.

CAUTION:

If the power steering system should fail, or if the engine should
stall, the car can still be steered. However, much greater effort will be required, particularly in sharp turns at low speed.

NOTE:

You may feel a slight clunk or knock when turning the wheel with
the engine off. This is a normal condition due to the design of the system.
Power Steering Fluid
Check the power steering fluid level with the engine cold and the
car parked on level ground. Make sure the fluid level is between theupper and lower marks on the reservoir. If the level has dropped
close to or below the lower mark, check for leaks before adding
fluid to the upper mark. Do not overfill.

CAUTION:

Use only genuine Honda power steering fluid. The use of other
fluids such as A.T.F. or other manufacturer's power steering fluid will damage the system. POWER STEERING

FLUID RESERVOIR

UPPER

LOWERProCarManuals.comMain Menu t s