1998 HONDA CIVIC COUPE Owners Manual

Protecting Children

To attach a tether to your car: 1. Using the illustration on page 38, locate the attachment point you
want to use.
2. Remove the plug with a small flat- tipped screwdriver or a fingernail

file.
3. Install the anchor plate and

mounting hardware. The

hardware is available for purchase
from your Honda dealer (part number 82410-SE3-C01). ForCanadian models, the hardware is
supplied with the vehicle.
When installing tether hardware,
make sure the toothed washer is on
the bottom of the bolt. Tighten the
bolt to: 16 lbf.ft (22 N.m, 2.2 kgf.m)
If a torque wrench was not used, see
your Honda dealer as soon as possible to verify proper installation.
To attach the tether to the child seat,
follow the child seat maker'sinstructions.
If you are not sure how to install the
tether, or you need mounting hardware, contact your Honda dealer.
Driver and Passenger SafetyMain Menu Table of Contents s t

Additional Information About Your Seat Belts
Seat Belt System Components

Your seat belt system includes lap/ shoulder belts in the front seats and
the outer back seats, and a lap belt in
the center back seat.
The system also includes alight on the instrument
panel to remind you and your passengers to fasten your belts. If
the driver's seat belt is not fastened
before the ignition is turned ON (II),
the light will come on and a beeper
will also sound. The beeper will stop after a few seconds, but the light willstay on until the driver's seat belt is

fastened.
Lap/Shoulder Belt
This seat belt has a single belt that goes over your shoulder, across yourchest and across your hips.
To fasten the belt, insert the latch plate into the buckle, then tug on the
belt to make sure the buckle is
latched.

To unlock the belt, push the red PRESS button on the buckle.Guide the belt across your body to
the door pillar. After exiting the
vehicle, be sure the belt is out of the way and will not get closed in the

door.

All lap/shoulder belts have an emergency locking retractor.
In normal driving, the retractor lets
you move freely in your seat while it keeps some tension on the belt.
During a collision or sudden stop,
the retractor automatically locks the
belt to help restrain your body.
The lap/shoulder belts in all seating positions except the driver's have anadditional locking mechanism that
can be activated to secure a child seat. (See pages 28 and 32 for
instructions on how to secure childseats with this type of seat belt.)
If the shoulder part of the belt is
pulled all the way out, the locking
mechanism will activate. The belt
will retract, but it will not allow a passenger to move freely.
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Additional Information About Your Seat Belts

To deactivate the locking mechanism, unlatch the buckle and
let the seat belt fully retract. To
refasten the belt, pull it out only as
far as needed.
See page 13 for instructions on how
to wear the lap/shoulder belt
properly. Lap Belt
The lap belt has one manually- adjusted belt that fits across the hips.
To fasten the belt, insert the latchplate into the buckle markedCENTER, then tug on the belt to
make sure the buckle is latched.
To unlock the belt, push the red PRESS button on the buckle.
See page 14 for how to lengthen the
lap belt, and how to properly position
the belt.
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Additional Information About Your Seat Belts
Seat Belt Maintenance
For safety, you should check the
condition of your seat belts regularly.
Pull each belt out fully and look for
frays, cuts, burns, and wear. Check that the latches work smoothly and
that the lap/shoulder belts retract
easily. Any belt not in good condition or not working properly will not
provide good protection and should
be replaced as soon as possible.
U.S. Owners
Honda provides a lifetime warranty
on seat belts. Honda will repair or
replace any seat belt component that
fails to function properly during normal use.
Pleas
e
see your Honda Warranty

Information booklet fo
r details.If a seat belt is worn during a crash,
you should have your dealer inspect
the belt, and replace it if necessary.
A belt that has been worn during a crash may not provide the same level
of protection in a subsequent crash.
The dealer should also inspect the anchors for damage and replace
them if needed.
For information on how to clean your

sea
t
belts, see page 202.

Driver and
Passenger Safety
Not checking or maintaining
seat belts can result in serious injury or death if the seat belts
do not work properly when needed.
Check your seat belts regularly
and have any problem
corrected as soon as possible.Main Menu Table of Contents s t

Additional Information About Your SRS
SRS Components

Your Supplemental Restraint System (SRS) includes:
Two frontal airbags. The driver'sairbag is stored in the center of
the steering wheel; the front
passenger's airbag is stored in thedashboard. Both are marked

"SRS".

Sensors that can detect a severe

frontal collision. A sophisticated electronic system
that continually monitors thesensors, control unit, the airbag
activators, and all related wiring
when the ignition is ON (II). An indicator light on the
instrument panel to alert you to a
possible problem with the system (see page 45). Emergency backup power in case
your vehicle's electrical system is disconnected in a crash.
How Your Airbags Work

If you ever have a severe frontal
collision, the sensors will detect
rapid deceleration and signal the
control unit to instantly inflate the
airbags.

During a crash, your seat belt helps
restrain your lower body and torso.
Your airbag provides a cushion to help restrain and protect your head
and chest.
CONTINUED

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Additional Information About Your SRS

Since both airbags use the samesensors, both airbags normally
inflate at the same time. However, it
is possible for only one airbag to
inflate.
This can occur when the severity of a collision is at the margin, or
threshold, that determines whetheror not the airbags will deploy. In
such cases, the seat belt will provide
sufficient protection, and the
supplemental protection offered by
the airbag would be minimal.
After inflating, the airbagsimmediately deflate, so they won't
interfere with the driver's visibility,
or the ability to steer or operate
other controls.
The total time for inflation and deflation is approximately one-tenth
of a second, so fast that most
occupants are not aware that the
airbags deployed until they see them
lying in their laps. After a crash, you may see what
looks like smoke. This is actually
powder from the airbag's surface.
Although the powder is not harmful, people with respiratory problems
may experience some temporarydiscomfort. If this occurs, get out of
the car as soon as it is safe to do so.

U.S. Owners

For additional information on how
your airbags work, see the booklet
titled SRS: What You Need to Know

About Airbags, that came with your
owner's manual.

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Additional Information About Your SRS
How Your SRS Indicator Light
Works The purpose of the SRSindicator light is to alert
you to a potential problem with your Supplemental Restraint System.
When you turn the ignition ON (II), this indicator will light up briefly
then go out. This tells you that thesystem is working properly.
However, if the light comes on at any
other time, you should have yoursystem checked by your dealer. For

example:
If the SRS indicator light does not
come on after you turn the ignition
ON (II). If the light stays on after the

engine starts. If the light comes on or flashes on
and off while you drive.
If you see any of these indications,
your airbags may not deploy when you need them. See your Honda dealer as soon as possible. SRS Service
Your Supplemental Restraint System is virtually maintenance-free, and
there are no parts you can safelyservice. However, you must have
your vehicle serviced if:
Your airbags ever inflate. The

airbags and

the control unit must
be replaced. Do not try to remove or replace the airbags yourself.
This must be done by a Honda dealer or a knowledgeable body
shop.
The SRS indicator light alerts you

to a problem. Take your vehicle to
an authorized Honda dealer as soon as possible. If you ignore this
indication, the airbags might not
inflate when you need them.

Driver and Passenger Safety

SRS

Ignoring the SRS indicator light
can result in serious injury or death if the airbags do notinflate when needed.
Have your vehicle checked by a
dealer as soon as possible if
the SRS light alerts you to a potential problem.Main Menu Table of Contents s t

Additional Information About Your SRS

Additional Safety Precautions
Do not attempt to deactivate your
airbags. Together, airbags and
seat belts provide the best
protection in a severe frontal
collision. Do not tamper with SRS
components or wiring for any
reason. Tampering could cause
the airbags to deploy, possibly
causing very serious injury.
See page 115 for further information
and precautions relating to your SRS.

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