1999 HONDA CIVIC COUPE head

Protecting Children

Children Should Sit in the Back
Seat
According to accident statistics, children of all ages and sizes are
safer when they are restrained in the
back seat, not the front seat. The National Highway Traffic Safety
Administration and Transport Canada recommend that all children
ages 12 and under be properly
restrained in the back seat.
In the back seat, children are less
likely to be injured by striking hard interior parts during a collision or
hard braking. Also, children cannot
be injured by an inflating airbag
when they ride in the back. The Passenger's Airbag Poses
Serious Risks to Children
Airbags have been designed to help protect adults in a moderate to severe frontal collision. To do this,
the passenger's airbag is quite large, and it inflates with tremendous
speed.

InfantsNever put a rear-facing child seat in the front seat of a vehicle equipped
with a passenger's airbag. If the

airbag inflates, it can hit the back of
the child seat with enough force to
kill or very seriously injure an infant. Small Children

Placing a forward-facing child seat in the front seat of a vehicle equipped
with a passenger's airbag can be

hazardous. If the vehicle seat is too
far forward, or the child's head is thrown forward during a collision, an
inflating airbag can strike the child
with enough force to kill or very seriously injure a small child.
Larger Children
Children who have outgrown child
seats are also at risk of being injured or killed by an inflating passenger's

airbag. Whenever possible, larger

children should sit in the back seat,
properly restrained with a seat belt. (See page 37 for important
information about protecting larger
children.)
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Protecting Children

General Guidelines for Using
Child Seats
The following pages give general guidelines for selecting and installing
child seats for infants and smallchildren.
Selecting a Child Seat
To provide proper protection, a child seat should meet three
requirements:

1. The child seat should meet safety
standards. The child seat should
meet Federal Motor Vehicle
Safety Standard 213 (FMVSS 213)
or Canadian Motor Vehicle Safety
Standard 213 (CMVSS 213). Look
for the manufacturer's statement of compliance on the box and seat.

2. The child seat should be of the
proper type and size to fit the child.
Infants: Children up to about one
year old should be restrained in a rear-facing, reclining child seat. Only
a rear-facing seat provides the
proper support to protect an infant's
head, neck, and back. See page 29 for additional information on
protecting infants. Small Children: A child who is too
large for a rear-facing child seat, and
who can sit up without support, should be restrained in a forward-
facing child seat. See page 33 for additional information on protecting
small children.

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Protecting Children

Placing a Child Seat
This page briefly summarizes Honda's recommendations on where
to place rear-facing and forward-
facing child seats in your car.
Front Passenger's Seat

Infants: Never in the front seat, due
to the passenger's airbag hazard.

Small children: Not recommended,
due to the passenger's airbag
hazard. If a small child must ride in front, move the vehicle seat to
the rear-most position and secure a front-facing child seat with theseat belt, (see page 34).
Back Seats
Infants: Recommended positions.
Secure a rear-facing child seat
with the seat belt, (see page 30).

Small children: Recommended
positions. Secure a front-facingchild seat with the seat belt, (see
page 34).
Driver and Passenger Safety
Airbags Pose Serious
Risks to Children
The passenger's airbag inflates with enough force to kill orseriously injure an infant in a
rear-facing child seat.
A small child in a forward-facing child seat is also at risk. If the
vehicle seat is too far forward, or the child's head is thrown
forward during a collision, an
inflating airbag can kill or seriously injure the child.
If a small child must ride in the
front, follow the instructions provided.
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Protecting Children

Protecting Infants

Child Seat Type

Only a rear-facing child seat provides
proper support for a baby's head, neck, and back. Infants up to about
one year of age must be restrained in
a rear-facing child seat.
Two types of seats may be used: a seat designed exclusively for infants,
or a convertible seat used in the rear-
facing, reclining mode. We recommend that an infant be
restrained in a rear-facing child seat
until the infant reaches the seat
maker's weight or height limit and isable to sit up without support.
Rear-Facing Child Seat Placement

In this car, a rear-facing child seat
can be placed in any seating position
in the back seat, but not in the front
seat.

Never put a rear-facing child seat in
the front seat. If the passenger's
airbag inflates, it can hit the back of
the child seat with enough force to
kill or seriously injure an infant. If an infant must be closely watched, we
recommend that another adult sit in
the back seat with the baby.

Do not put a rear-facing child seat in

a forward-facing position. If placed

facing forward, an infant could be
very seriously injured during a
frontal collision.

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Driver and Passenger Safety

Placing a rear-facing child seat
in the front seat can result in
serious injury or death if the airbags inflate.
Always place a rear-facing child seat in the back seat, not the

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Protecting Children

Additional Precautions for Infants Never hold an infant on your lap.

If you are not wearing a seat belt
in a crash, you could be thrown
forward into the dashboard and crush the infant.
If you are wearing a seat belt, the
infant can be torn from your arms.For example, if your car crashes
into a parked vehicle at 30 mph (48 km/h), a 20-lb (9 kg) infant
will become a 600-lb (275 kg) force, and you will not be able to hold on.
Never put a seat belt over yourself

and an infant. During a crash, the

belt could press deep into the infant and cause very serious
injuries. Protecting Small Children
Child Seat Type
A child who can sit up without support, and who fits within the child
seat maker's weight and height
limits, should be restrained in a
forward-facing, upright child seat.
Of the different seats available, we
recommend those that have a five-
point harness system as shown. We also recommend that a small
child stay in the child seat as long as
possible, until the child reaches the
weight or height limit for the seat.
Child Seat Placement

In this car, the best place to install a
forward-facing child seat is in one of
the seating positions in the back seat.

Placing a forward-facing child seat in the front seat of a car equipped with
a passenger airbag can be hazardous.
If the car seat is too far forward, or
the child's head is thrown forward during a collision, an inflating
passenger's airbag can strike the
child with enough force to cause
very serious or fatal injuries. If a small child must be closely watched,
we recommend that another adult sit in the back seat with the child.

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Protecting Children

Using a Booster Seat
If a child needs a booster seat, we
recommend choosing a style that
allows the child to use the lap/
shoulder belt directly, without a
shield, as shown.
Whichever style you select, follow the booster seat maker's instructions. A child may continue using a booster
seat until the tops of the ears are
even with the top of the seat-back. A
child of this height should be tall
enough to use the lap/shoulder belt
without a booster.
When Can a Larger Child Sit in Front

The National Highway Traffic Safety
Administration and Transport Canada recommend that all children
ages 12 and under be properly
restrained in the back seat.
The back seat is the safest place for a child of any age or size.
In addition, the passenger's airbag
poses serious risks to children. If theseat is too far forward, or the child's
head is thrown forward during a collision, or the child is unrestrained
or out of position, an inflating airbag
can kill or seriously injure the child.
Of course, children vary widely. And
while age may be one indicator of
when a child can safely ride in the front, there are other important
factors you should consider.

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Additional Information About Your SRS
SRS Components

Your Supplemental Restraint System (SRS) includes: Two front airbags. The driver's
airbag is stored in the center of
the steering wheel; the front
passenger's airbag is stored in the dashboard. Both are marked "SRS
AIRBAG." Sensors that can detect a
moderate to 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 that alerts you to
a possible problem with thesystem (see page 47). Emergency backup power in case
your car's electrical system is disconnected in a crash. How Your Airbags Work
If you ever have a moderate tosevere 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 headand chest.
Driver and Passenger Safety
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Instruments and Controls

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

your Honda. All the essential
controls are within easy reach.
Control Locations............................ 52

Indicator Lights................................ 53
Gauges.............................................. 57
Speedometer................................ 57

Tachometer.................................. 57
Odometer...................................... 57
Trip Meter.................................... 57
Fuel Gauge................................... 58

Temperature Gauge.................... 58
Maintenance Required
Indicator.................................... 59

Controls Near the Steering Wheel........................................ 60
Headlights.................................... 61
Daytime Running Lights............. 61
Instrument Panel Brightness..... 62
Turn Signals................................. 62
Windshield Wipers...................... 63

Windshield Washers................... 63
Hazard Warning........................... 64

Rear Window Defogger.............. 64

Steering Wheel Adjustment....... 65

Steering Wheel Controls ................ 66 Cruise Control.............................. 66
Keys and Locks................................ 69
Keys.............................................. 69
Ignition Switch............................. 69

Door Locks................................... 70
Power Door Locks....................... 71

Remote Transmitter.................... 72

Trunk............................................ 75

Seat Adjustments............................. 76
Front Seat Adjustments.............. 76

Rear Seat Access......................... 77

Head Restraints........................... 77

Folding Rear Seat............................ 78

Power Windows............................... 79

Moonroof.......................................... 81

Mirrors.............................................. 81
Adjusting the Power Mirrors..... 82

Parking Brake.................................. 83 Glove Box......................................... 83
Beverage Holder.............................. 84
Accessory Power Socket................ 85
Ashtrays............................................ 85
Interior Light.................................... 86

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