1991 HONDA CIVIC Owners Manual

Seats (cont'd)
Rear Seat (Hatchback)
If you need more luggage space,
the rear seat-back can be folded down. Pull the release on the topof the seat-back and fold the

seat-back down.

Trunk Access from Rear Seat (Sedan) The rear seat-back can be released by turning the lock on the rear
shelf with the master key and pulling down the top of the seat-back.
This allows you access to the trunk and makes it possible to carry long objects inside the car.
The rear seat-back can also be released from inside the trunk by pulling the release.

Passengers or pets must not sit on the folded portion of the rear

seat.
Make sure any luggage or cargo within the trunk, or extending
through the rear seat trunk access is secured.
Make sure the seat-back latches engage securely when the
seat-back is returned to its normal position.
When closing the rear seat trunk access, push the seat-back firmly into place, then pull on the top of the seat-back to make sure it is
secure.

CAUTION:

Make sure both rear shoulder belts are positioned in front of the
rear seat-backs whenever the seat-backs are in their upright
position.
MASTER KEY

Open

RELEASE

Pull

RELEASEProCarManuals.comMain Menu s t

Luggage Cover (DX/Si Hatchback)
You can reach the luggage compartment from either the outside or
inside of the vehicle. To open the front part of the cover, pull the
cover up. The rear part of the cover can be also opened merely by

lifting up on it.If you need more luggage height with the seat-back upright, fold therear section of the cover forward or slide the latches on both sides
to the rear and lift the cover out.

LATCH

Weight limits shown on the label located in the glove box must be observed. The total weight of passengers and cargo must
not exceed the total weight limit on the label.
(Except STD Hatchback) Do not store any items on the shelf behind the rear seat; theymay become dangerous projectiles in a collision.
(Hatchback only) Make sure the seat-back latches engage securely when theseat-back is returned to its normal position.
When transporting luggage or other cargo, do not pile it higher than the front seats. This precaution will help prevent such
items from becoming dangerous projectiles in an accident. Cargo weight should be distributed as far forward as possible
for better vehicle handling.
(Sedan only)
Store any luggage or cargo in the trunk. If you are carrying moreitems than will fit in the trunk, use the floor space between the
front and rear seats.ProCarManuals.comMain Menu s t

Your Honda is provided with seat belts to minimize the chance of
injury to yourself and your passengers in a sudden stop or accident.For precautions on using seat belts for children, babies and pregnant

women, see pages 21 — 25.

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 helts are not damaged by catching or
entangling in the door or seat mechanism.
NOTE:
The front seat belt restraint system is different on the car you use.
See pages 11 through 14 for the automatic ("passive") shoulder
belt system on the Sedan. See pages 15 through 18 for the
automatic ("passive") lap/shoulder belt system on the Hatchback. Seat BeltsProCarManuals.comMain Menu s t

[Sedan]
Wearing the Front Seat Belts
The front seats have automatic ("passive") restraint systems consisting of shoulder belts and knee bolsters. For your safety, the manual lap belts must be worn together with the automatic
shoulder belts. The shoulder belts must remain permanently latched.
The automatic and manual belts have emergency locking retractors
designed to lock only during a sudden stop or impact. Otherwise,
they allow some freedom of movement in the seat.

Operation
1.Enter the car and close the door
completely. Move the seat a

comfortable distance from the
steering wheel, sit straight up and
well back in the seat.
Never drive the car with the doors
ajar. The front doors must be
closed completely for the front
seat belts to function properly.
2. Turn the ignition ON. The shoulder belt buckle will move to its rear locked position. The length of the shoulder belt will adjust
automatically to your body and seating position.
Make sure the shoulder belt goes over your shoulder and across
your body to evenly distribute the belt's restraining force.
If the belt is too near your neck and throat, move toward the

center of the seat.

Normal movement of the shoulder belt buckle may cause injury. Be sure all parts of your body, especially fingers and hands, are
clear of the shoulder buckle while it is moving.

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Seat Belts (cont'd)

CAUTION:

If the sunvisor is positioned near the door area, movement of the
seat belt buckle can damage the sunvisor. Before opening or
closing a front door, turning the ignition on or removing the key
from the ignition, make sure the sunvisor is returned to its clip above the windshield.

NOTE:
If the door is not closed completely, the shoulder belt buckle will
not move and the door warning light will come on (see page 14 ). If the door is opened with the ignition on, the buckle will release
itself from its locked position and move forward. If the shoulder belt buckle stops halfway or does not move at all,
see page 113 for shoulder belt buckle operation.
3. Take hold of the lap belt's tongue plate and pull it from its retractor. Be sure the belt is not twisted or caught on anything.

NOTE:
If pulled too fast, the belt will lock. If this happens, allow the belt to
retract then pull it out more slowly.
4. Push the tongue plate into the buckle until it clicks locked. Position the belt across your lap, low on your hipbone and below
your abdomen. This way, if the car is involved in an accident you would be less likely to slide under the seat belts.
Avoid placing the lap belt across your abdomen. In the event of a collision, the pressure of the belt on the abdomen may increase
the extent of injury. Pull the belt across
your lap
Keep below
hip bone
TONGUE PLATEProCarManuals.comMain Menu s t

Never use one belt for more than one person, child or adult.
Comfort clips sold on the open market are not recommended
since they could impair the function and safety of the belts. Make sure the strap of the shoulder belt and the lap belt are not

crossed.
Do not wear the shoulder portion of the belt under your arm or
out of position. Such use could increase the chance and amount
of injury in an accident.
Releasing the Seat Belts
1.To release the manual lap belt, push the "PRESS" button in the buckle, the belt should retract automatically when released.
2. The driver's shoulder belt buckle will release and travel to its off
position when the key is removed from the ignition.

3. The shoulder belt buckle will also release and travel to its off position when the door is opened.
Emergency Belt Release
The shoulder belt should always re- main buckled. In case of an emergen-
cy, however, the shoulder belt can
be released from the shoulder belt
buckle by pushing the button.
Relatch the shoulder belt before operating the car, making sure the

belt is not twisted.

Driving with a twisted seat belt can increase your chance and
extent of injury during a collision. Be sure the shoulder belt is not
twisted before driving the car. Push
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Seat Belts (cont'd)

Fasten Seat Belt Warning Light and Warning Beeper

Lap Belt Warning Indicator: Both the light and the
warning beeper will go on for about
six seconds if the ignition switch is
turned on when the driver's lap belt
is not fastened. The beeper will not
go on if the driver's lap belt is
fastened, but the warning light will come on for about six seconds each
time, to remind the driver to have passengers put their belts on.

Automatic Shoulder Belt Warning Indicator:
The warning light will come on if either of the automatic shoulder
belts is unlatched with the ignition ON. The beeper will sound for
approximately six seconds while the warning light is ON. Related the belt: the light should go off when the belt is latched.
The warning light will also come on while the shoulder belt buckle moves from its front off position to its rear locked position.
Automatic Shoulder Belt Malfunction Indicator:
The warning light will flash and the beeper will sound rapidly if either shoulder belt buckle stops before completing its full cycle (see page113 for normal operation).
NOTE:
If the shoulder belt's tensioner mechanism locks and prevents the
buckle from moving fully forward when you want to get out,
recycle the system by closing the door and reopening it.
The buckle should move fully forward; if it does not, recline the

seat-back and use Emergency Belt Release (see page 13 ).

When the system does not function by either method, have the
system checked by an authorized Honda dealer.
If the light and beeper do not function at all or if they come on
even with the belts latched and doors fully closed, it indicates a malfunction in the seat belt system. In the event of a collision,
severe personal injury could result. The system should be checked
immediately by an authorized Honda dealer.ProCarManuals.comMain Menu s t

[Hatchback]

Wearing the Front Seat Berts The automatic ("passive") lap/shoulder belt systems with emer-
gency locking retractors are designed to lock only during a suddenstop or impact. Otherwise, they allow you some freedom of move-ment in the seat. The lap/shoulder belt must remain permanently
latched.

NOTE:
The motion sensing lock mechanisms for the front belts are located in each door. Therefore, if a door is opened 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. Enter the car and close the door completely.
If a door is not completely closed, the warning lights in the ceiling
and in the instrument panel will come on and the beeper will
sound when the ignition switch is turned on (see page 17).
The driver's seat should be moved to a comfortable distance from
the steering wheel. Sit straight up and well back in the seat.
The seat belt should fit snugly against your body. The shoulder portion of the belt should go over your shoulder and across your
body to evenly distribute the belt's restraining force. Check that the lap portion of the belt is positioned low on your
hipbone and below your abdomen. This way, if the car is involved
in an accident, you will be less likely to slide under the seat belts.
If the belt is too near your neck and throat, move toward the
center of the seat.
Never drive the car with the doors ajar. The front doors must be
closed completely for the front seat belts to function properly.

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