light HONDA PRELUDE 1992 Repair Manual

Storing Your Car
If you need to park your car 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 car back on the
road. It is best to store your car indoors if at all possible. Fill the gas tank.
Change the engine oil and filter

(see page 137).

Wash and dry the exterior
completely.
Clean the interior. Make sure the
carpeting, floor mats, etc. are
completely dry.
Leave the parking brake off. Put
the transmission in Reverse (5-
speed) or Park (automatic). Block the rear wheels.
If the car 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 car is being stored indoors).
Disconnect the battery.
Cover the car with a "breathable" car cover, one made
from a porous material such as
cotton. Nonporous materials,
such as plastic sheeting, trap
moisture which can damage the
paint. If possible, run the engine for a
while periodically (preferably once a month). If you store your car for 12 months
or longer, have your Honda dealer
perform the inspections called for
in the 24 months/48,000 km (30,000
miles) maintenance schedule as
soon as you take it out of storage
(see page 133). The replacements
called for in the maintenance
schedule are not needed unless the
car has actually reached that time or mileage.

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Exterior Care

Washing
Frequent washing helps preserve
your car's beauty. Dirt and grit can
scratch the paint, while tree sap
and bird droppings can perma-
nently ruin the finish.
Wash your car in a shady area, not
in direct sunlight. If the car is
parked in the sun, move it into the
shade and let the exterior cool
down before you start.
Chemical solvents and strong
cleaners can damage the paint,
metal and plastic on your car. Only
use the solvents and cleaners
recommended in this Owner's
Manual.
Rinse the car thoroughly with
cool water to remove loose dirt.
Fill a bucket with cool water.
Mix in a mild detergent, such as
dishwashing liquid or a product
made especially for car washing.
Wash the car, using the water and detergent solution and a soft-bristle brush, sponge or soft cloth.
Start at
the top and work your
way down. Rinse frequently.
Check the body for road tar, tree
sap, etc. Remove these stains
with tar remover or turpentine.
Rinse it off immediately so it
does not harm the finish. Remem-
ber to re-wax these areas, even if the rest of the car does not need
waxing. When you have washed and
rinsed the whole exterior, dry it
with a chamois or soft towel.
Letting it air-dry will cause
dulling and water spots.
As you dry the car, inspect it for
chips and scratches that could allow corrosion to start. Repair
them with touch-up paint (see page
178).

Appearance Care

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Exterior Care

Waxing

Always wash and dry the whole car
before waxing it. You should wax your car, including the metal trim,
whenever water sits on the surface in large patches. It should form into
beads or droplets after waxing.
You should use a quality liquid orpaste wax. Apply it according to
the instructions on the container. In
general, there are two types of products:
Waxes — A wax coats the finish and protects it from damage by
exposure to sunlight, air pollution,
etc. You should use a wax on yourHonda when it is new.
Polishes — Polishes and cleaner/
waxes can restore the shine to
paint that has oxidized and lost
some of its shine. They normally
contain mild abrasives and solvents
that remove the top
layer of the
finish. You should use a polish on
your Honda if the finish does not
have its original shine after using a
wax.
Cleaning tar, insects, etc.
with
removers also takes off the wax.
Remember to re-wax those areas,
even if the rest of the car does not

need waxing.
Aluminum
Wheel
s

Clean your Honda's aluminum alloy
wheels as you do the rest of the exterior. Wash them with the same
solution, and rinse them thoroughly.
The wheels have a protective clear-
coat that keeps the aluminum from
corroding and tarnishing. Using
harsh chemicals, including some
commercial wheel cleaners, or stiff
brushes can damage this clear-coat.
Only use a mild detergent and soft
brush or sponge to clean the wheels.

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Taking Care of the Unexpected
This section covers the more- common problems that motorists
experience with their cars. 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
car towed. Compact Spare Tire..................... 184
Changing a Flat Tire................... 185
If Your Engine Won't Start........ 190 Nothing Happens...................... 190
The Starter OperatesNormally................................ 191
Jump Starting................................ 191 If Your Engine Overheats.......... 193
Low Oil Pressure.......................... 195
Charging System Indication ...... 196
Check Engine Light..................... 197
Closing the Sunroof ..................... 198
Fuses............................................... 199 Checking and Replacing.........
200

Towing...........................................
202

Taking Car e
of the UnexpectedProCarManuals.comMain Menu s t

Changing a Flat Tire
If you
have a flat tire while driving,
stop in a safe place to change it.
Stopping in traffic or on the shoul-
der of a busy road is dangerous.
Drive slowly along the shoulder
until you get to an exit or an area to stop that is far away from the traf-
fic lanes.
1. Park the car on firm, level ground away from traffic. Turnon the hazard warning lights and
turn the ignition to LOCK (0). 2. Put the transmission in Park
(automatic) or Reverse (5-speed).
Set the parking brake.
3. Open the trunk. Raise the trunk floor by lifting up on the back

edge.

4. Take the tool kit out of the trunk. 5. Unscrew the wing bolt and take
the spare tire out of the trunk.

Taking Care of the Unexpected
CONTINUED

The car can easily roll off the

jack, seriously injuring anyone
underneath.

Follow the directions for chang-

ing a tire exactly, and never

get under the car when it is

supported only by the jack.
TRUNK FLOOR

JACK

SPARE TIRE

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If Your Engine Won't Start

Diagnosing why your engine won't
start falls into two areas, depending
on what you hear when you turn
the key to START (III): You hear nothing, or almost
nothing. The engine's starter
motor does not operate at all, or
operates very slowly.
You can hear the starter motor
operating normally, but the
engine does not start up and run. Nothing Happens or the
Starter Motor Operates Very
Slowly
When you turn the ignition switchto START (III), you do not hear the
normal noise of the engine trying to
start. You may hear
a clicking
sound or series of clicks, or nothing
at all.
Check these things:
Check the

transmission interlock.
If you have a 5-speed, the clutch
pedal must be pushed all the way
to the floor or the starter will not operate. With an automatic
transmission, it must be in Park
or Neutral.
Turn the ignition switch to ON
(II). Turn on the headlights and
check their brightness. If the
headlights are very dim or don't
light at all, the battery is dis-
charged.
See Jump Starting on

page 191
.
Turn the ignition switch to

START (III). If the headlights do

not dim, check the condition of

the fuses. If the fuses are OK,

there is probably something
wrong with the electrical circuit

for the ignition switch or starter
motor. You will need a qualified

technician to determine the

problem. (See Towing on page
202.)

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 condi-

tion of the battery and terminal
connections (see page 153 ). You

can then try jump starting the

car from a booster battery (see
page 191).

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If Your Engine Won't Start, Jump Starting

The Starter Operates
Normally

In this case, the starter motor
sounds normal when you turn the
ignition switch to START (III), but
the engine does not run. Are you using the proper starting
procedure? Refer to Starting
the Engine on page 109 . Do you have gas? Turn the
ignition switch to ON (II) for a
minute and watch the fuel gauge.
There may be an electrical
problem, such as no power to the
fuel pump. Check all the fuses
(see page 199 ).

If you find nothing wrong, you will
need a qualified technician to find
the problem. See Towing on page
202.
Jump Starting

If your car's battery has run down,
you may be able to start the engine
by using a booster battery. Although this seems like a simple
procedure, there are several precau-
tions you should take. Follow the
directions closely.
You cannot start a Honda with an
automatic transmision by pushingor pulling it. To jump start your car:
1. Open the hood and check the physical condition of the battery
(see page 152 ). In very cold
weather, check the condition of the electrolyte. If it seems slushy
or like ice, do not try jump
starting until it thaws.
If a battery sits in extreme cold, the
electrolyte inside can freeze.
Attempting to jump start with a frozen battery can cause it to
rupture or explode.
2. Turn off all the electrical acces- sories: heater, A/C, stereo system,
lights, etc. Put the transmission in Neutral
or Park and set the parking
brake.

Taking Care of the Unexpected
CONTINUED
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.
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Low Oil Pressure

The low oil pressure light should never come on when the engine is
running. If this light comes on with
the engine running, take immediate

action.

Running the engine with low oil
pressure can cause serious mechani-
cal damage almost immediately.
Turn off the engine as soon as you
can safely get the car stopped. 1. Safely pull off the road and shut
off the engine.

2. Le
t
the car sit for a minute. Open

the hood and check the oil level
(see page 135). Although oil level
and oil pressure are not directly
connected, an engine that is very
low on oil can lose pressure
during cornering and other
driving maneuvers.

3. I f
necessary, add oil to bring the

level back to the full mark on the
dipstick (see page 135
).

4. Star t
the engine and watch the

oil pressure light. If the light
does not go out within ten
seconds, turn off the engine.
There is a mechanical problem
that needs to be repaired before
you can continue driving. (See
Towin g on

page 202 .
)

Taking Car e
of the Unexpected

LOW OIL PRESSURE LIGHT
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Charging System Indication

The charging system light should
go out after the engine starts. If it
comes on brightly with the engine
running, the alternator is no longer
charging the battery. Immediately turn off all electrical
accessories: radio, heater, A/C, rear
defogger, cruise control, etc. Try
not to use other electrically-
operated controls such as the
power windows. Keep the engine
running and take extra care not to
stall it. Starting the engine will discharge the battery rapidly. By eliminating as much of the

electrical load as possible, you can

drive several miles before the
battery is too discharged to keep
the engine running. Drive to a
service station or garage where you
can get technical assistance.

Taking Care of the Unexpected
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Check Engine Light
If the
check engine light comes on
while driving, there is a problem with your engine or its emissioncontrol systems. Even though you
may feel no difference in your car's
performance, it can reduce your
fuel economy and cause your car to put out excessive emissions.
Continued operation may cause
serious engine damage. If this light comes on, safely pull
off the road and turn off the engine.
Restart the engine and watch the
check engine light. If it stays on,
have your car checked by the dealer as soon as possible. You
should also have the dealer inspect
your car if the light comes on
frequently, even though it goes off
when you do the above procedure. If you keep driving with the check
engine light on, you can damage
your car's emission controls and
engine. Those repairs are not
covered by your car's warranties.

Taking Care of the Unexpected

CHECK ENGINE LIGHT

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