1998 HONDA CIVIC COUPE ignition

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 almostnothing. The engine's starter
motor does not operate at all, or
operates very slowly.
You can hear the starter motor operating normally, or the starter
motor sounds like it is spinning
faster than normal, but the engine does not start up and run. Nothing Happens or the Starter
Motor Operates Very Slowly
When you turn the ignition switch to 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 manual transmission,
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 discharged. See

Jump Starting on page 213.
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 proba-
bly something wrong with the
electrical circuit for the ignition switch or starter motor. You will
need a qualified technician to determine the problem. (See
Emergency Towing on page 227).

If the headlights dim noticeably or
go out when you try to start the engine, either the battery is dis-
charged or the connections are
corroded. Check the condition of
the battery and terminal connec-
tions (see page 173). You can
then try jump starting the vehicle
from a booster battery (see page 213).
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If Your Engine Won't Start, Jump Starting

The Starter Operates Normally In this case, the starter motor'sspeed sounds normal, or even faster
than normal, when you turn the ignition switch to START (III), but
the engine does not run.
Are you using the proper startingprocedure? Refer to Starting the
Engine on page 121.
Do you have fuel? Turn the
ignition switch to ON (II) for a
minute and watch the fuel gauge.
The low fuel level warning light may not be working, so you were
not reminded to fill the tank.
There may be an electrical problem, such as no power to the
fuel pump. Check all the fuses (see page 223).
If you find nothing wrong, you will
need a qualified technician to find
the problem. See Emergency Towing on page 227. Jump Starting
If your vehicle's battery has rundown, you may be able to start the
engine by using a booster battery.
Although this seems like a simple procedure, you should take several

precautions.

You cannot start a Honda with anautomatic transmission by pushing
or pulling it. To jump start your vehicle, follow
these directions closely:
1. Open the hood and check the physical condition of the battery(see page 150). In very cold
weather, check the condition of the electrolyte. If it seems slushyor 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.

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.
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Taking Care of the Unexpected

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 Indicator

This indicator should light when the ignition switch is ON (II), and go out
after the engine starts. It should
never come on when the engine is
running. If it starts flashing, it indicates that the oil pressuredropped very low for a moment, then
recovered. If the indicator stays on
with the engine running, it shows that the engine has lost oil pressure
and serious engine damage is
possible. In either case, you should
take immediate action.
Running the engine with low oil
pressure can cause serious mechanical damage almost immediately. Turn offthe engine as soon as you can safety get
the vehicle stopped.

1. Safety pull off the road and shut off the engine. Turn on the hazard
warning indicators.
2. Let the vehicle sit for a minute. Open the hood and check the oil
level (see page 111). 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. If necessary, add oil to bring the level back to the full mark on thedipstick (see page 155). 4. Start the engine and watch the oil
pressure indicator. If the lightdoes 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 Emergency
Towing on page 227).

Taking Care of the Unexpected
LOW OIL PRESSURE INDICATOR

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Charging System Indicator

This indicator should come on when the ignition switch is ON (II), and goout after the engine starts. If it
comes on brightly when the engine
is running, it indicates that the charging system has stopped
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 (kilometers)
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
CHARGING SYSTEM INDICATORMain Menu Table of Contents s t

Malfunction Indicator Lamp

This indicator comes on for a few seconds when you turn the ignition
switch ON (II). If it comes on at any
other time, it indicates one of the
engine's emissions control systems
may have a problem. Even though
you may feel no difference in your
vehicle's performance, it can reduce
your fuel economy and cause your
vehicle to put out excessive emissions. Continued operation may
cause serious damage. If you have recently refueled your
vehicle, the cause of this indicator coming on could be a loose or
missing fuel fill cap. Check the capand tighten it until it clicks. Replace
the fuel fill cap if it is missing.
Tightening the cap will not make the indicator turn off immediately; it
takes three driving trips.
If the indicator remains on past three
driving trips, or the fuel cap was not
loose or missing, have the vehicle checked by the dealer as soon as
possible. Drive moderately until thedealer has inspected the problem.
Avoid full-throttle acceleration and driving at high speed. You should also have the dealer
inspect your vehicle if this indicatorcomes on repeatedly, even though it
may turn off as you continue driving.
If you keep driving with the malfunc- tion indicator lamp on, you can damage
your vehicle's emission controls and engine. Those repairs may not be
covered by your vehicle's warranties.

Taking Care of the Unexpected

MALFUNCTION INDICATOR LAMP

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Fuses

Vehicles equipped with ABS have a third fuse box for the ABS. It is in
the engine compartment on the
passenger's side.
Checking and Replacing Fuses

If something electrical in your
vehicle stops working, the first thing
you should check for is a blown fuse. Determine from the chart on pages 198 and 199, or the diagram on the
fuse box lid, which fuse or fuses control that component. Check those
fuses first, but check all the fuses
before deciding that a blown fuse is not the cause. Replace any blown
fuses and check the component's
operation.

1. Turn the ignition switch to LOCK (0). Make sure the headlights and
all other accessories are off.
2. Remove the cover from the fuse box. 3. Check each of the large fuses in
the under-hood fuse box bylooking through the top at the wire
inside. Removing these fuses
requires a Phillips-head screw-
driver.

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Taking Care of the Unexpected

ABS FUSE BOX
FUSE
BLOWNMain Menu Table of Contents s t

Emergency Towing
If your vehicle needs to be towed,
call a professional towing service or,
if you belong to one, an organization
that provides roadside assistance.
Never tow your vehicle behind another vehicle with just a rope or
chain. It is very dangerous.
There are three popular types of
professional towing equipment.Flat-bed Equipment - The operatorloads your vehicle on the back of a
truck. This is the best way to transport your Honda.
Wheel-Lift Equipment - The tow
truck uses two pivoting arms that go under the tires (front or rear) and lift
them off the ground. The other two
tires remain on the ground.This is an acceptable way to tow
your Honda.
Sling-type Equipment - The tow
truck uses metal cables with hookson the ends. These hooks go around parts of the frame or suspension and
the cables lift that end of the vehicle off the ground. Your vehicle's
suspension and body can be seriously
damaged. This method of towing is
unacceptable.

If your Honda cannot be transported
by flat-bed, it should be towed by
wheel-lift equipment with the front
wheels off the ground. If, due to damage, your vehicle must be towed
with the front wheels on the ground, do the following.
5-speed Manual Transmission
Release the parking brake.Shift the transmission to Neutral.
Automatic Transmission Release the parking brake.Start the engine.
Shift to D4, then to N.
Turn off the engine.
Improper towing preparation will

damage the transmission. Follow
the above procedure exactly. If you

cannot shift the transmission or
start the engine (automatic

transmission), your vehicle must be

transported with the front wheels

off the ground.

With the front wheels on the
ground, it is best to tow the vehicle
no farther than 50 miles (80 km), and keep the speed below 35 mph
(55 km/h).
If you decide to tow your vehicle
with all four wheels on the ground,
make sure you use a properly-
designed and attached tow bar.
Prepare the vehicle for towing as
described above, and leave theignition switch in Accessory (I) so
the steering wheel does not lock.
Make sure the radio and any items
Taking Care of the Unexpected

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Emergency Towing
plugged into the accessory power
socket are turned off so they do not
run down the battery.
Trying to lift or tow your vehicle by
the bumpers will cause serious
damage. The bumpers are not
designed to support the vehicle's

weight.

Taking Care of the Unexpected

The steering system can be
damaged if the steering wheel is
locked. Leave the ignition switch in
Accessory (I), and make sure the
steering wheel turns freely before
you begin towing.
NOTICE
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