1999 HONDA CIVIC COUPE engine

Service Station Procedures

3. Pull the support rod out of its clip and insert the end into the hole on
the left side of the hood.
To close the hood, lower it to about a foot (30 cm) above the fender, thenpress down firmly with your hands.
After closing the hood, make sure it is securely latched.
After closing the hood, make sure it is securely latched. Check the engine oil level every time
you fill the car with fuel. Wait a few minutes after turning the engine off
before you check the oil.
1. Remove the dipstick (orange handle). 2. Wipe the dipstick with a clean
cloth or paper towel.

CONTINUED

Before Driving

SUPPORT ROD

CLIP
Oil Check

DIPSTICKMain Menu Table of Contents s t

Service Station Procedures

4. Remove the dipstick again andcheck the level. It should be
between the upper and lower
marks.
If it is near or below the lower mark,
see Adding Oil on page 171. Engine Coolant Check
Look at the coolant level in the
radiator reserve tank. Make sure it is
between the MAX and MIN lines. If
it is below the MIN line, see Adding
Engine Coolant on page 175 for information on adding the proper
coolant.
Refer to Owner Maintenance
Checks on page 169 for information
on checking other items in your

Honda.

Before Driving

3. Insert it all the way back in its tube.
UPPER MARK
LOWER MARKRESERVE
TANK

MAX
MINMain Menu Table of Contents s t

Fuel Economy
The condition of your car and your driving habits are the two most
important things that affect the fuel
mileage you get.
Vehicle Condition Always maintain your car according to the maintenance schedule. This
will keep it in top operating condition.
An important part of that mainte- nance is the Owner MaintenanceChecks (see page 169). 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 car'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 car 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 it

use 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

Driving

This section gives you tips on starting the engine under various
conditions, and how to operate the5-speed manual and automatic
transmissions. It also includes impor-
tant information on parking your car,
and the braking system. Preparing to Drive......................... 136
Starting the Engine........................ 137
Starting in Cold Weatherat High Altitude ..................... 137
5-speed Manual Transmission..... 138 Recommended Shift Points...... 139
Engine Speed Limiter............... 139
Automatic Transmission............... 140 Shift Lever Position Indicator.. 141
Shift Lever Positions................. 141
Engine Speed Limiter............... 144
Shift Lock Release..................... 144Continuously Variable Transmission (CVT)............. 145

Parking............................................ 149

Parking Tips............................... 149
The Braking System...................... 150 Brake Wear Indicators.............. 150
Brake System Design................ 151
Anti-lock Brakes........................ 151 Important SafetyReminders.......................... 152
ABS Indicator......................... 153
Driving in Bad Weather................ 154
Towing a Trailer............................ 155
DrivingMain Menu s t

Preparing to Drive

You should do the following checks and adjustments every day before
you drive your car.
1. Make sure all windows, mirrors, and outside lights are clean and
unobstructed. Remove frost, snow,or ice.
2. Check that the hood and trunk are fully closed.
3. Visually check the tires. If a tire looks low, use a gauge to check its
pressure. 4. Check that any items you may be
carrying with you inside are stored
properly or fastened downsecurely.
5. Check the adjustment of the seat (see page 76).
6. Check the adjustment of the inside and outside mirrors (see
page 81).
7. Check the adjustment of the steering wheel (see page 65).
8. Make sure the doors are securely closed and locked. 9. Fasten your seat belt. Check that
your passengers have fastenedtheir seat belts (see page 8).
10.Turn the ignition switch ON (II). Check the indicator lights in the
instrument panel.
11.Start the engine (see page 137).
12. Check the gauges and indicator lights in the instrument panel (see
page 53).

DrivingMain Menu Table of Contents s t

Starting the Engine

1. Apply the parking brake.

2. In cold weather, turn off all
electrical accessories to reduce

the drain on the battery.

3. Manual Transmission:
Push the clutch pedal down all the
way. START (III) does not function unless the clutch pedal is
depressed.

Automatic Transmission (Including
CVT):

Make sure the shift lever is in
Park. Press on the brake pedal.

4. Without touching the accelerator
pedal, turn the ignition key to the
START (III) position. If the enginedoes not start right away, do not
hold the key in START (III) for
more than 15 seconds at a time.
Pause for at least 10 seconds

before trying again.
5. If the engine does not start within
15 seconds, or starts but stalls
right away, repeat step 4 with the accelerator pedal pressed half-way
down. If the engine starts, release
pressure on the accelerator pedalso the engine does not race.
6. If the engine still does not start, press the accelerator pedal all the
way down and hold it there while starting in order to clear flooding.
As before, keep the ignition key in the START (III) position for nomore than 15 seconds. Return tostep 5 if the engine does not start.
If it starts, lift your foot off the
accelerator pedal so the engine does not race.

Starting in Cold Weather at High

Altitude (Above 8,000 feet/
2,400 meters)

An engine is harder to start in cold weather. The thinner air found at
high altitude above 8,000 feet (2,400 meters) adds to the problem.
Use the following procedure:
1. Turn off all electrical accessories to reduce the drain on the battery.
2. Push the accelerator pedal half- way to the floor and hold it there
while starting the engine. Do nothold the ignition key in START (III) for more than 15 seconds.
When the engine starts, release the accelerator pedal gradually as
the engine speeds up and smoothsout.
3. If the engine fails to start in step 2, push the accelerator pedal to the
floor and hold it there while you try to start the engine for no more
than 15 seconds. If the enginedoes not start, return to step 2.
DrivingMain Menu Table of Contents s t

5-speed Manual Transmission

The manual transmission is syn- chronized in all forward shears forsmooth operation. It has a lockout so
you cannot shift directly from Fifth to Reverse. When shifting up or down, make sure you push the clutch
pedal down all the way, shift to the
next gear, and let the pedal up
gradually. When you are not shifting, do not rest your foot on the clutch
pedal. This can cause your clutch to
wear out faster. Come to a full stop before you shift
into Reverse. You can damage the
transmission by trying to shift into Reverse with the vehicle moving.
Push down the clutch pedal, and
pause for a few seconds before shifting into Reverse, or shift into
one of the forward gears for a
moment. This stops the gears so
they won't "grind."
When slowing down, you can get extra braking from the engine by
shifting to a lower gear. This extra
braking can help you maintain a safe speed and prevent your brakes from
overheating while going down a
steep hill. Before downshifting,
make sure engine speed will not go
into the tachometer's red zone in the
lower gear. Refer to the Maximum
Allowable Speeds chart.

Driving
Rapid slowing or speeding-up
can cause loss of control on slippery surfaces. If you crash,
you can be injured.
Use extra care when driving on
slippery surfaces.Main Menu Table of Contents s t

5-speed Manual Transmission

Recommended Shift Points
Drive in the highest gear that lets
the engine run and accelerate
smoothly. This will give you the best
fuel economy and effective emis- sions control. The following shift
points are recommended:
(U.S.: DX, EX, HX, Canada: DX, Si) (U.S.: Si, Canada: SiR)
Engine Speed Limiter
If you exceed maximum speed for
the gear you are in, the enginespeed will enter into the tachometer's
red zone. If this occurs, you may
feel the engine cut in and out. This is
caused by a limiter in the engine's
computer controls. The engine will run normally when you reduce the
RPM below the red zone.
Before downshifting, make sure the
engine will not go into the tachometer's red zone in the lower
gear.

DrivingMain Menu Table of Contents s t