1998 HONDA CIVIC COUPE engine

Service Station Procedures

Oil Check
Check the engine oil level every time
you fill the vehicle with fuel. Wait a few minutes after turning the engine off before you check the oil.
1. Remove the dipstick (orange
handle).
2. Wipe the dipstick with a clean
cloth or paper towel. 3. Insert it all the way back in its tube.

CONTINUED

Before Driving

DIPSTICKMain Menu Table of Contents s t

Service Station Procedures

4. Remove the dipstick again and check the level. It should be
between the upper and lower marks.
If it is near or below the lower mark, see Adding Oil on page 155. Engine Coolant Check
Look at the coolant level in the
radiator reserve tank. Make sure it is
between the MAX and MIN lines. If it is below the MIN line, see Adding
Engine Coolant on page 159 for
information on adding the proper

coolant.
Refer to Owner Maintenance
Checks on page 153 for information
on checking other items in your

Honda.

Before Driving
UPPER MARK
LOWER MARK

RESERVE

TANK

MAX
MINMain Menu Table of Contents s t

Fuel Economy

The condition of your vehicle and your driving habits are the two mostimportant things that affect the fuel
mileage you get.
Vehicle Condition Always maintain your vehicle accord- ing to the maintenance schedule.
This will keep it in top operating
condition.

An important part of that mainte- nance is the Owner Maintenance
Checks (see page 153). For
example, an underinflated tire
causes more "rolling resistance,"
which uses fuel. It also wears out
faster, so check the tire pressure at
least monthly.
In winter, the build-up of snow on
your vehicle's underside adds weight and rolling resistance. Frequent
cleaning helps your fuel mileage and
reduces the chance of corrosion. Driving Habits
You can improve fuel economy by driving moderately. Rapid acceler-
ation, abrupt cornering, and hard
braking use more fuel.
Always drive in the highest gear that allows the engine to run and acceler-ate smoothly.
Depending on traffic conditions, try
to maintain a constant speed. Every time you slow down and speed up,
your vehicle uses extra fuel. Use the cruise control, when appropriate, to
increase fuel economy. A cold engine uses more fuel than a
warm engine. It is not necessary to "warm-up" a cold engine by letting it
idle for a long time. You can drive
away in about a minute, no matter
how cold it is outside. The engine
will warm up faster, and you get better fuel economy. To cut down on
the number of "cold starts," try tocombine several short trips into one.
The air conditioning puts an extra load on the engine which makes ituse more fuel. Turn off the A/C to
cut down on air conditioning use.
Use the flow-through ventilation
when the outside air temperature is moderate.

Before DrivingMain Menu Table of Contents s t

Driving

This section gives you tips on starting the engine under various
conditions, and how to operate the 5-speed manual and automatic
transmissions. It also includes impor-
tant information on parking your
vehicle, and the braking system. Preparing to Drive......................... 120
Starting the Engine........................ 121 Starting in Cold Weatherat High Altitude ..................... 121
5-speed Manual Transmission..... 122 Recommended Shift Points...... 122
Maximum Allowable Speeds.... 123
Automatic Transmission............... 124 Shift Lever Position Indicator.. 124
Shift Lever Positions................. 125
Maximum Allowable Speeds.... 127
Shift Lock Release..................... 128
Continuously Variable Transmission (CVT)............. 129
Parking............................................ 133 Parking Tips............................... 133
The Braking System...................... 134 Brake Wear Indicators.............. 134Brake System Design................ 135
Anti-lock Brakes........................ 135
Important SafetyReminders.......................... 136
ABS Indicator......................... 137
Driving in Bad Weather................ 138
Towing a Trailer............................ 139

DrivingMain Menu s t

Preparing to Drive

You should do the following checks and adjustments every day before
you drive your vehicle.
1. Make sure all windows, mirrors, and outside lights are clean and
unobstructed. Remove frost, snow, or ice.
2. Check that the hood and trunk are fully closed.
3. Visually check the tires. If a tire looks low, use a gauge to check its

pressure.
4. Check that any items you may be
carrying with you inside are stored
properly or fastened down
securely.

5. Check the adjustment of the seat (see page 74).
6. Check the adjustment of the inside and outside mirrors (see
page 79).
7. Check the adjustment of the steering wheel (see page 63).
8. Make sure the doors are securely closed and locked. 9. Fasten your seat belt. Check that
your passengers have fastened
their seat belts (see page 7).
10. Turn the ignition switch ON (II). Check the indicator lights in the
instrument panel.
11. Start the engine (see page 121).
12. Check the gauges and indicator lights in the instrument panel (see
page 33).

DrivingMain Menu Table of Contents s t

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:
Push the clutch pedal down all the

way. START (III) does not

function unless the clutch pedal is
depressed.

Automatic Transmission (Including
CVT):

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. If the enginedoes not start right away, do not
hold the key in START (III) for
more than 15 seconds at a time.
Pause for at least 10 seconds

before trying again.
5. If the engine does not start within
15 seconds, or starts but stalls
right away, repeat step 4 with the accelerator pedal pressed half-way
down. If the engine starts, release
pressure on the accelerator pedal so the engine does not race.
6. If the engine still does not start, press the accelerator pedal all the
way down and hold it there while starting in order to clear flooding.
As before, keep the ignition key in the START (III) position for no
more than 15 seconds. Return to step 5 if the engine does not start.
If it starts, lift your foot off theaccelerator pedal so the enginedoes not race.

Starting in Cold Weather at High
Altitud
e (Above 8,000 feet/
2,40
0 meters)

An engine is harder to start in cold
weather. The thinner air found athigh altitude above 8,000 feet (2,400 meters) adds to the problem.
Use the following procedure:
1. Turn off all electrical accessories to reduce the drain on the battery.
2. Push the accelerator pedal half- way to the floor and hold it there
while starting the engine. Do not
hold the ignition key in START(III) for more than 15 seconds.
When the engine starts, release the accelerator pedal gradually as

th
e
engine speeds up and smooths

out.
3. I
f the engine fails to start in step 2,
push the accelerator pedal to the
floor and hold it there while you
try to start the engine for no more
than 15 seconds. If the engine does not start, return to step 2.

DrivingMain Menu Table of Contents s t

5-speed Manual Transmission

The manual transmission is syn- chronized in all forward gears for
smooth operation. It has a lockout so
you cannot shift directly from Fifth to Reverse. When shifting up ordown, make sure you push the clutch
pedal down all the way, shift to the next gear, and let the pedal up
gradually. When you are not shifting, do not rest your foot on the clutch
pedal. This can cause your clutch to
wear out faster. Come to a full stop before you shift
into Reverse. You can damage the
transmission by trying to shift into Reverse with the vehicle moving.
Push down the clutch pedal, and
pause for a few seconds before shifting into Reverse, or shift into
one of the forward gears for a
moment. This stops the gears so
they won't "grind".
When slowing down, you can get extra braking from the engine by
shifting to a lower gear. This extra
braking can help you maintain a safe speed and prevent your brakes from
overheating while going down a steep hill. Before downshifting,
make sure engine speed will not go
into the tachometer's red zone in the
lower gear. Refer to the Maximum
Allowable Speeds chart. Recommended Shift Points
Drive in the highest gear that lets
the engine run and accelerate
smoothly. This will give you the best
fuel economy and effective emis- sions control. The following shift
points are recommended:
Driving
Rapid slowing or speeding-up
can cause loss of control on
slippery surfaces. If you crash,
you can be injured.
Use extra care when driving on
slippery surfaces.Main Menu Table of Contents s t

5-speed Manual Transmission

Maximum Speeds
The speeds in this table are the maximums for the given gear. If you
exceed these speeds, the enginespeed will enter into the tachometer's
red zone. If this occurs, you may feel
the engine cut in and out. This is caused by a limiter in the engine's
computer controls. The engine will
run normally when you reduce the RPM below the red zone.
Before downshifting, make sure the
vehicle will not exceed the maximum speed in the chart in the lower gear to
avoid engine damage.
(DX) (HX)(U.S.: EX, Canada: Si)

DrivingMain Menu Table of Contents s t