Honda Fit: Starting the Engine

1. Apply the parking brake.

2. In cold weather, turn off all electrical accessories to reduce the drain on the battery.

3. Manual transmission: Press the clutch pedal down all the way. The START (III) position does not function unless the clutch pedal is pressed.

Automatic transmission: Make sure the shift lever is in Park. Press on the brake pedal.

4. Without touching the accelerator pedal, turn the ignition key to the START (III) position. Do not hold the key in the START (III) position for more than 15 seconds at a time. If the engine does not start right away, pause for at least 10 seconds before trying again.

The immobilizer system protects your vehicle f rom thef t. If an improperlycoded key (or other device) is used, the engine’s f uel system is disabled.

5. If the engine does not start within 15 seconds, or starts but stalls right away, repeat step 4 with the accelerator pedal pressed halfway down. If the engine starts, release pressure on the accelerator pedal so the engine does not race.

6. If the engine fails to start, press the accelerator pedal all the way down, and hold it there while starting to clear flooding. If the engine still does not start, return to step 5.

The engine is harder to start in cold weather. Also, the thinner air f ound at altitudes above 8,000 f eet (2,400 meters) adds to this problem.