ECU HONDA PRELUDE 1992 User Guide

Towing a Trailer

Mirrors
Many states and provinces have
laws requiring special outsidemirrors when you are towing a
trailer. Check the laws in your area.
You may want to install mirrors, even if they are not required. Hook
up the trailer and see how much it obscures your ability to see behind
you with the standard mirrors. Ifyou cannot see directly behind you,
or have a large blind spot next to
the trailer or the car, you should
install mirrors intended for towing.
Connecting the Trailer

Most trailers that have a gross
weight of 450 kg (1,000 Ibs) do not
have their own braking system. If you are thinking of getting a trailer
that does have brakes, make sure
they are electrically-operated.
There are no provisions in your car
to tap into its hydraulic braking
system. Any attempt to attach the
trailer's brakes to your car's
hydraulic system, no matter how successful it may seem, will lower
braking effectiveness and create a potential hazard.
Always use a safety chain when towing a trailer. Connect the safety
chain securely at both ends. Make
sure the chain crosses under the
tongue so it will catch the trailer if
it becomes unhitched. Leave
enough slack in the chain so it can't
bind in a sharp turn. Do not let it drag on the ground.
Before Starting Out

As you are preparing to tow your
trailer, do the following:
Measure the trailer's tongue load.
You can do this with a bathroom

scale.

Verify that the hitch and safety chain are securely fastened.
Check the condition and air
pressure of all tires on the trailer
and your car. Low tire pressure
can seriously affect the handling.
Also check the spare tires.
With everything loaded and the
trailer connected, check that the
rear of the car is not sagging. If
so, redistribute the load in the
car.
Check that all lights on the car
are working properly.

DrivingProCarManuals.comMain Menu Table of Contents s t

Engine Oil

Checking Engine Oil

Check the engine oil a couple of
minutes after shutting off the
engine. This will allow the oil to
drain down to the bottom of the
engine. Make sure the car is parked
on level ground.
1. Pull out the dipstick (orange
loop) and wipe it with a cloth orpaper towel.

2. Insert
it all the way back in its

tube.

3. Pull
it out again and look at the
oil level at the end of the dipstick.
If it is between the upper and
lower marks, the level is correct.
Add oil if the level is at or below
the lower mark.
Adding

To add oil, unscrew and remove the
oil filler cap on top of the valve
cover. Pour in the oil, and replace
the filler cap. Tighten it securely.
Wait a few minutes and recheck
the oil level. Do not fill above the
upper mark; you could damage the

engine.

Maintenance

UPPER MARK
LOWER MARK
OIL FILLER CAP
DIPSTICKProCarManuals.comMain Menu Table of Contents s t

Cooling System

1. Slide the heater temperature control lever to maximum heat.
Open the hood. Make sure the
engine and radiator are cool to

the touch.

2. Remove the radiator cap. 3. Loosen the drain plug on the
bottom of the radiator. The
coolant will drain through the
splash guard. Remove the drain
bolt from the engine block. 4. Remove the reserve tank from
its holder by pulling it straight up.
Drain the coolant, then put the
tank back in its holder.
5. When the coolant stops draining, tighten the drain plug in the
bottom of the radiator. Apply non-hardening sealant to the
drain bolt threads and reinstall
the bolt in the engine block.
Tighten it securely.

Maintenance

DRAIN
PLUG
DRAIN
BOLT RESERVE TANK

HOLDER
RESERVE

TANK CAP

CONTINUEDProCarManuals.comMain Menu Table of Contents s t

Transmission Oil

5-Speed Transmission

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 the edge of the bolt hole. Feel
inside the bolt hole with your finger.
If you do not feel any oil, slowly
add oil until it starts to run out of
the hole. Reinstall the filler bolt
and tighten it securely. Only use an SF or SG grade motor
oil with a weight of 10W-30 or
10W-40.

The transmission should be drained and refilled with new oil every 24
months or 48,000 km (30,000 miles),
whichever comes first.

Maintenance

Correct
level

FILLER

BOLTProCarManuals.comMain Menu Table of Contents s t

Lights
4. Pull the bulb straight out of its
socket.

Push the
new bulb straight into
the socket until it bottoms
.
5. Insert
the socket back into the

lens. Turn it clockwise to lock it
in place.

6. Turn

on the parking lights to

make sure the new bulb works.

7. To

reinstall the light assembly in

the fender, line up the fingers on
the light assembly with the holes
in the fender. Push the light
assembly straight back.

8. Instal
l
the mounting screw and

tighten it securely.

Replacing a

Front Side
Marker Light Bulb

1. Use a phillips-head screwdriver to loosen the side marker assem-
bly's mounting screw.
2. Remove the side marker assem- bly from the bumper. 3. Remove the bulb holder from the
side marker assembly by turning
it one-quarter counterclockwise.
4. Pull the bulb straight out of its socket.
Push the new bulb straight into
the socket until it bottoms.

Maintenance
SCREW

BULB HOLDER
BULB

FRONT SIDE
MARKER
ASSEMBLYProCarManuals.comMain Menu Table of Contents s t

Lights

Replacing Rear Bulbs

1. Open the trunk and the taillight
assembly cover.

2. Use
a phillips head screwdriver

to remove the two screws from
the bulb holder. Remove the
holder from the taillight assem-
bly.

3. Try the tail/stoplights, rear turn

signals and back-up lights to
verify which bulb needs replac- ing. Remove that bulb from the
socket by pushing it in slightly
and turning it counterclockwise.

4. Instal l
the new bulb in the socket.

Test it to make sure it works.

5. Reinstal
l
the bulb holder assem-
bly. Install the two screws and
tighten them securely.

Maintenance

COVERProCarManuals.comMain Menu Table of Contents s t

Lights

Replacing a Rear Side Marker
Light Bulb

1. Use a phillips-head screwdriver
to loosen the side marker assem-
bly mounting screw.

2. Remove
the assembly from the
fender by pulling out the back
edge and sliding the assembly

backwards.
3. Remove the socket from the

light assembly by turning it
counterclockwise.

4. Remov
e
the bulb from the socket

by pulling it straight out.
Install the new bulb. Turn on the
headlights to test the bulb.

5. Inser t
the socket in the assembly.

Turn it clockwise to lock it in
place.

6. Reinstal
l
the side marker assem-
bly in the fender. Tighten the
mounting screw securely.

Maintenance

SCREWProCarManuals.comMain Menu Table of Contents s t

Lights

Replacing a Rear License
Bulb

1. Remove the two screws and remove the license light assem-

bly.
2. Remove the lens from the rubber
seal and the metal
cover.
3. Pull the bulb straight out of its
socket. Push the new bulb in
until it bottoms in
the socket.4. Turn on the parking lights and
check that the new bulb is

working.

5. Reinstall the cover and the lens.
Put the license light assembly in
place. Reinstall the two screws
and tighten them securely.
Replacing
Interior and Trunk
Light Bulbs

1. Remove the lens by carefully

prying on the edge of the lens in
the middle with a fingernail file
or a small flat-tip screwdriver.
Do not pry on the edge of the
housing around the lens.

CONTINUED

Maintenance

INTERIOR
LIGH
TProCarManuals.comMain Menu Table of Contents s t

Interior Care, Corrosion Protection
Windows
Clean the windows, inside and out,
with a commercially-available glass
cleaner. You can also use a mixture of one part white vinegar to ten
parts water. This will remove the
haze that builds up on the inside of
the windows. Use a soft cloth or
paper towels to clean all glass and
clear plastic surfaces.
The rear window defogger wires
are bonded to the inside of the glass.
Wiping vigorously up-and-down
can dislodge and break the defog-
ger wires. When cleaning the rear
window, use gentle pressure and
wipe side-to-side.
Air Fresheners

If you want to use an air freshener/
deodorizer in the interior of your
car, it is best to use a solid type.
Some liquid air fresheners contain
chemicals that may cause parts of
the interior trim and fabric to crack or discolor.
If you use a liquid air freshener,
make sure you fasten it securely so
it does not spill as you drive.
Corrosion Protection

Two factors normally contribute to causing corrosion in your car:
1. Moisture trapped in body cavi-
ties. Dirt and road salt that col-
lects in hollows on th
e underside
of the car stays damp, promotin
g
corrosion in that area.

2. Remova l
of paint and protective

coatings from the exterior and
underside of the car.

Many corrosion-preventive mea
-
sures are built into your Honda.
You can help keep your car from
corroding by performing some
simple periodic maintenance: Repair chips and scratches in the
paint as soon as you discover
them.
Appearance Care

NOTICEProCarManuals.comMain Menu Table of Contents s t

Changing a Flat Tire

15.Tighten the
wheel nuts securely

in the same crisscross pattern.
Have the wheel nut torque check-
ed at the nearest automotive
service facility.
Tighten the wheel nuts to:

110 N .
m (1
1 kg-m, 80 Ib-ft)
16.Remove the wheel cover or

center cap.
Place the flat tire face down in
the trunk well.

17.Remove the
spacer cone from

the wing bolt, turn it over, and
put it back on the bolt.

18.Secure th e
flat tire by screwing

the wing bolt back into its hole.

19.Store th
e
jack in its holder with

the end bracket facing to the
rear. Turn the jack'
s end bracket
to lock it in place. Replace the
cover. Store the tool kit.

20.Store th e
wheel cover or center

cap in the trunk.

Taking Car
e
of the Unexpected

WING BOLT
SPACERCONEProCarManuals.comMain Menu Table of Contents s t