1998 HONDA CIVIC COUPE air conditioning

Comfort and Convenience Features

The heating and air conditioning* systems in your Honda provide a
comfortable driving environment in
all weather conditions.
The standard audio system has many features. This section de-
scribes those features and how to
use them. (If you selected an optional audio system, refer to the
operating instructions that came
with it.)
* Air conditioning is standard on the
EX model in the U.S. It is optional on
other models.
Heating and Cooling........................ 86
What Each Control Does............ 86How to Use the System............... 88
To Turn Everything Off............. 93
Audio System................................... 94 Operating the Radio.................... 94
Adjusting the Sound.................... 96 Radio Frequencies....................... 97
Radio Reception........................... 97
Digital Clock................................. 99Operating the Cassette Player...................................... 100
Tape Search Functions............. 100 Caring for the Cassette Player...................................... 102
Operating the Optional
CD Player/Changer.............. 103
Protecting Compact Discs........ 105
CD Changer Error Indications.............................. 106
Comfort and Convenience FeaturesMain Menu s t

Heating and Cooling

Proper use of the Heating and
Cooling system can make the

interior dry and comfortable, and

keep the windows clear for best

visibility.

If your vehicle does not have air

conditioning, it can be installed at

any time. Your dealer will install a
Genuine Honda air conditioning

system that meets Honda's high

quality standards and is designed to

exactly fit your vehicle. Please

contact your dealer for more

information.
What Each Control Does Fan Control Lever
Sliding this lever to the right
increases the fan's speed, which
increases air flow.
Comfort and Convenience Features MODE BUTTONS
RECIRCULATION
BUTTON AIR CONDITIONING
BUTTON

TEMPERATURE
CONTROL LEVER FAN CONTROL

LEVER

Temperature Control Lever
Sliding this lever to the right
increases the temperature of the air

flow.

Air Conditioning (A/C) Button
This button turns the air condi- tioning ON and OFF. The indicatorin the button lights when the A/C is

on.
Recirculation Button
This button controls the source of the air going into the system. When
the indicator in this button is lit, air
from the vehicle's interior is sent through the system again (Recircula-
tion mode). When the indicator is off,air is brought in from outside the
vehicle (Fresh Air mode).Main Menu Table of Contents s t

Heating and Cooling

Vent Controls
You can adjust the direction of the air coming from the dashboard vents
by moving the tab in the center of
each vent up-and-down and side-to-

side.
The vents in the corners of the
dashboard can be opened and closed
with the dials next to them. How to Use the System
This section covers how to set up the system controls for ventilation,
heating, cooling, dehumidifying, and defrosting.
The engine must be running for the heater and air conditioning to
generate hot and cold air. The heater uses engine coolant to warm the air.
If the engine is cold, it will be several
minutes before you feel warm air
coming from the system.
The air conditioning does not rely on engine temperature.
Comfort and Convenience Features
CENTER VENT
SIDE VENT
Open

CloseMain Menu Table of Contents s t

Heating and Cooling

It is best to leave the system in Fresh
Air mode under almost all conditions. Keeping the system in Recirculation
mode, particularly with the A/C off,
can cause the windows to fog up.
Switch to Recirculation mode when
you are driving through smoky or dusty conditions, then switch back toFresh Air mode when the condition

clears.

The outside air intakes for the heating and cooling system are at
the base of the windshield. Keep
these clear of leaves and other
debris.
Ventilation

The flow-through ventilation system draws in outside air, circulates it
through the interior, then exhausts it
through vents near the rear window. 1. Slide the temperature control lever
all the way to the left.
Make sure the A/C is off. 2. Select and Fresh Air mode.
3. Set the fan to the desired speed.
CONTINUED
Comfort and Convenience Features
MODE BUTTONS


RECIRCULATION

BUTTON
AIR CONDITIONING

BUTTON

TEMPERATURE CONTROL LEVER
FAN CONTROL

LEVERMain Menu Table of Contents s t

Heating and Cooling

To Cool with A/C

1. Turn on the A/C by pressing the button. The light in the buttonshould come on.
2. Make sure the temperature control lever is all the way to the

left.
3. Select
4. If the outside air is humid, select Recirculation mode. If the outside
air is dry, select Fresh Air mode.
5. Set the fan to the desired speed.
If the interior is very warm from
being parked in the sun, you can cool it down more rapidly by setting up
the controls this way:
1. Start the engine.
2. Turn on the A/C by pressing the button. Make sure the tempera-
ture control lever is all the way to
the left.
3. Set the fan to maximum speed.
4. Open the windows partially. Select and Fresh Air mode. When the interior has cooled down
to a more comfortable temperature,close the windows and set the
controls as described for normal

cooling.
Air conditioning places an extra load
on the engine. Watch the engine
coolant temperature gauge (see page 56) when driving in stop-and-go
traffic or climbing a long, steep hill. If it moves near the red zone, turn
off the A/C until the gauge reads
normally.
Comfort and Convenience Features MODE BUTTONS


RECIRCULATION

BUTTON AIR CONDITIONING
BUTTON

TEMPERATURE CONTROL LEVER
FAN CONTROL

LEVERMain Menu Table of Contents s t

Heating and Cooling

To Heat

To warm the interior:
1. Start the engine. 2. Select and Fresh Air mode.
3. Set the fan to the desired speed.
4. Adjust the warmth of the air with
the temperature control lever.
To Heat and Dehumidify with Air
Conditioning

Air conditioning, as it cools, removes moisture from the air. When used in
combination with the heater, it
makes the interior warm and dry.
1. Switch the fan on.
2. Turn on the air conditioning. 3. Select and Fresh Air mode.
4. Adjust the temperature control lever so the mixture of heated and
cooled air feels comfortable.
This setting is suitable for all driving conditions whenever the outside
temperature is above 32° F (0°C).
To Defog and Defrost

To remove fog from the inside of the windows:
1. Switch the fan on. 2. Select
When you select , the
system automatically switches to
Fresh Air mode and turns on the
A/C.
3. Adjust the temperature control lever so the air flow from thedefroster vents feels warm.
4. Turn on the rear window defogger to help clear the rear window.
When you switch to another mode
from , the A/C stays on. Press the A/C button to turn it off.

CONTINUED

Comfort and Convenience FeaturesMain Menu Table of Contents s t

Heating and Cooling

To remove exterior frost or ice from the windshield and side windowsafter the vehicle has been sitting out
in cold weather:
1. Start the engine. 2. Select
When you select the
system automatically switches to
Fresh Air mode and turns on the
A/C.
3. Switch the fan and temperature controls to maximum.
To rapidly remove exterior frost or ice from the windshield (on very cold
days), first select the Recirculation
mode. Once the windshield is clear, select the Fresh Air mode to avoid
fogging the windows.

Comfort and Convenience Features
MODE BUTTONS


RECIRCULATION

BUTTON
AIR CONDITIONING

BUTTON

TEMPERATURE
CONTROL LEVER
FAN CONTROL
LEVERMain 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