1998 HONDA CIVIC COUPE instrument panel

1998 Civic Coupe Online Reference Owner's Manual
Use these links (and links throughout this manual) to navigate through\
this reference.
For a printed owner's manual, click on authorized manuals or go to www.h\
elminc.com.

Contents

Introduction ........................................................................\
........................ .........................................
i


A Few Words About Safety........................................................................\
.........................................ii
Driver and Passenger Safety ........................................................................\
......................................3
Proper use and care of your vehicle's seat belts, and Supplemental Restr\
aint System.
Instruments and Controls........................................................................\
.........................................49
Instrume nt panel indicator and gauge, and how to use dashboard and steering colu\
mn controls.
Comfort and Convenience Features ........................................................................\
...................... 85
How to operate the climate control system, the audio system, and other c\
onvenience features.
Before Driving........................................................................\
......................................................... 107
What gasoline to use, how to break-in your new vehicle, and how to load luggage and other cargo.
Driving ........................................................................\
..................................................................... 119
The proper way to start the engine, shift the transmission, and park, pl\
us towing a trailer.
Maintenance........................................................................\
.............................................................141
The Maintenance Schedule shows you when you need to take you r vehicle to the dealer.
Appearance Care........................................................................\
......................................................199
Tips on cleaning and protecting your vehicle. Things to look for if your\
vehicle ever needs body repairs.
Taking Care of the Unexpected........................................................................\
..............................205
This section covers several problems motorists sometimes experience, an d how to handle them.
Technical Information........................................................................\
.............................................229
ID numbers, dimensions, capacities, and technical information.
Warranty and Customer Relations (U.S. and Canada)................................................................243
A summary of the warranties covering your new Acura, and how to contact \
us.
Authorized Manuals (U.S. only)........................................................................\
..............................249
How to order manuals and other technical literature.

Index........................................................................\
............................................................................. I
A summary of information you need when you pull up to the fuel pump. Service Information Summary Owner's Identification

Your Vehicle's Safety Features
Seat Belts
For your safety, and the safety of
your passengers, your vehicle is equipped with seat belts in all seating
positions.
Your seat belt system alsoincludes a light on the
instrument panel to remind you and
your passengers to fasten your seat belts.

Why Wear Seat Belts

Seat belts are the single most
effective safety device for adults and
larger children. (Infants and smaller
children must be properly restrained
in child seats.)
Not wearing a seat belt properly
increases the chance of serious
injury or death in a crash, even
though your vehicle has airbags. In addition, most states and all
Canadian provinces require you to
wear seat belts.
When properly worn, seat belts: Keep you connected to the vehicle
so you can take advantage of the
vehicle's built-in safety features. Help protect you in almost every
type of crash, including side and
rear impacts and rollovers. (Your
airbags can only be helpful in severe frontal collisions.)
Help keep you from being thrown
against the inside of the car and
against other occupants.
Keep you from being thrown
outside of the car. Help keep you in a good position
should the airbags ever deploy. A
good position reduces the risk of injury from an inflating airbag, and
allows you to get the best
advantage from the airbag.
Of course, seat belts cannot
completely protect you in every
crash. But in most cases, seat belts
can reduce your risk of serious
injury.

What you should do: Always wear

your sea t
belt, and make sure you
wear it properly.

Driver and Passenger Safety
Not wearing a seat belt properly
increases the chance of serious
injury or death in a crash, even
if you have airbags.
Be sure you and your
passengers always wear seat
belts and wear them properly.Main Menu Table of Contents s t

Your Vehicle's Safety Features

Airbags

Your vehicle has a SupplementalRestraint System (SRS) with frontal
airbags to help protect the driver and
a front seat passenger.
This system also includesan indicator light on the
instrument panel to alert you to a
possible problem with the system. Following are the most important
things you need to know about your

airbags.
Airbags do not replace seat belts.
They supplement seat belts by providing extra protection for the
heads and chests of front seat

occupants.
Airbags offer no protection in side
impacts, rear impacts, rollovers,or minor or moderate collisions.
Airbags are designed to deploy only during a severe frontal
collision (such as a 25 mph [40
km/h] crash into a parked car of similar size and weight). Airbags can pose serious hazards.
To do their job, airbags must inflate with tremendous force andspeed. So while airbags save lives,
they can cause serious injuries to adults and larger children who are
not wearing seat belts, are not wearing them properly, are sitting
too close to the airbag, or are notsitting in a good position. Infants
and small children are at an even
greater risk of injury or death.

What you should do: Always wear

your seat belt properly and sit upright and as far back as possible
from the steering wheel or
dashboard.

Driver and Passenger Safety
SRSMain 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.
Driver and Passenger SafetyMain 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

Driver and Passenger SafetyMain Menu Table of Contents s t

Instruments and Controls

This section gives information about the controls and displays that
contribute to the daily operation of

your Honda. All the essential
controls are within easy reach.
Control Locations............................ 50

Indicator Lights................................ 51
Gauges.............................................. 55
Speedometer................................ 55

Tachometer.................................. 55 Odometer...................................... 55
Trip Meter.................................... 55 Fuel Gauge................................... 56
Temperature Gauge.................... 56
Maintenance Required
Indicator.................................... 57

Controls Near the Steering

Wheel........................................58

Headlights.................................... 59
Daytime Running Lights............. 59
Instrument Panel Brightness..... 60
Turn Signals................................. 60
Windshield Wipers...................... 61
Windshield Washers................... 61
Hazard Warning........................... 62

Rear Window Defogger.............. 62

Steering Wheel Adjustment....... 63

Steering Wheel Controls ................ 64
Cruise Control.............................. 64
Keys and Locks................................ 67
Keys...............................................67
Ignition Switch............................. 67

Door Locks................................... 68

Power Door Locks....................... 69

Remote Transmitter.................... 70

Trunk............................................ 73

Seat Adjustments............................. 74
Front Seat Adjustments.............. 74
Rear Seat Access......................... 75

Head Restraints........................... 75

Folding Rear Seat............................ 76

Power Windows............................... 77

Moonroof.......................................... 79

Mirrors.............................................. 79
Adjusting the Power Mirrors..... 80

Parking Brake.................................. 80
Glove Box......................................... 81
Beverage Holder.............................. 82
Accessory Power Socket................ 83
Ashtrays............................................ 83

Interior Light.................................... 84

Instruments and ControlsMain Menu s t

Indicator Lights

The instrument panel has many indicators to give you important
information about your vehicle.
Lamp Check

These indicator lights come on when
you turn the ignition switch ON (II), allowing you to see that they are

working:
SRS Indicator
Malfunction Indicator LampCharging System Indicator
Low Oil Pressure Indicator

Anti-lock Brake System Indicator
Seat Belt Reminder Light
D4 Lamp
If an indicator does not light during
this test, it cannot alert you if that system develops a problem. Have the
dealer check your vehicle for
burned-out bulbs or other problems.
* The U.S. instrument panel is
shown. Differences for the Canadian
model are noted in the text.

Instruments and Controls

U.S.: EX Instrument panel
CHARGING SYSTEM
INDICATOR

MALFUNCTION
INDICATOR LAMP

LOW OIL
PRESSURE
INDICATOR
SUPPLEMENTAL RESTRAINT
SYSTEM INDICATOR CRUISE CONTROL
INDICATOR HIGH BEAM
INDICATOR
ANTI-LOCK BRAKESYSTEM INDICATOR* SEAT BELT
REMINDER LIGHT
LOW FUEL INDICATOR
PARKING BRAKE AND
BRAKE SYSTEM INDICATOR*
TRUNK-OPENINDICATORMain Menu Table of Contents s t

Indicator Lights

* Differences in the indicators for Canadian models are noted in the text.
Seat Belt Reminder Light
This indicator lights when you turn the ignition switch ON (II). It is areminder to you and your passengers
to protect yourselves by fastening
the seat belts. A beeper also sounds if you have not fastened your seat
belt.
If you do not fasten your seat belt,
the beeper will stop after a few seconds but the light stays on until
you do. Both the light and the beeper stay off if you fasten your seat belt
before turning on the ignition.

Supplemental Restraint

System Indicator

This indicator lights when you turn the ignition switch ON (II). If it
comes on at any other time, it
indicates a problem in the
supplemental restraint system. For

complete information, see page 45.

Instruments and Controls
SRS

U.S.: EX Instrument panel
PARKING BRAKE AND BRAKE

SYSTEM INDICATOR*

HIGH BEAM INDICATOR

CHARGING SYSTEM

INDICATOR

TRUNK-OPEN
INDICATOR

LOW FUEL INDICATOR

LOW OIL

PRESSURE

INDICATOR

SUPPLEMENTAL RESTRAINT
SYSTEM INDICATOR
MALFUNCTION
INDICATOR LAMP

ANTI-LOCK BRAKE
SYSTEM INDICATOR

(Canadian indicator shown)
SEAT BELT
REMINDER LIGHTMain Menu Table of Contents s t