1999 HONDA CIVIC COUPE tire size

Tires
To safely operate your car, your tires must be the proper type and size, in
good condition with adequate tread, and correctly inflated. The following
pages give more detailed information on how and when to check air
pressure, how to inspect your tires
for damage and wear, and what to do
when your tires need to be replaced.
Inflation

Keeping the tires properly inflated
provides the best combination of
handling, tread life and riding comfort. Underinflated tires wear
unevenly, adversely affect handling and fuel economy, and are more
likely to fail from being overheated. Overinflated tires can make your car
ride more harshly, are more prone to damage from road hazards, and wear

unevenly.

We recommend that you visually check your tires every day. If you
think a tire might be low, check it immediately with a tire gauge. Use a gauge to measure the air
pressure at least once a month. Even
tires that are in good condition may
lose one to two psi (10 to 20 kPa, 0.1
to 0.2 kgf/cm2) per month. Remember to check the spare tire at
the same time you check all the other tires.
Check the pressure in the tires when
they are cold. This means the car has been parked for at least three
hours. If you have to drive the car
before checking the tire pressure, the tires can still be considered
"cold" if you drive less than 1 mile (1.6 km).

CONTINUED

Maintenance

Using tires that are excessively

worn or improperly inflated can

cause a crash in which you can
be seriously hurt or killed.
Follow all instructions in this

owner's manual regarding tire
inflation and maintenance.Main Menu Table of Contents s t

Tires
Replacing Tires and Wheels
The tires that came with your car were selected to match the perform- ance capabilities of the car while
providing the best combination of
handling, ride comfort, and long life.
You should replace them with radial tires of the same size, load range, speed rating, and maximum cold tire
pressure rating (as shown on the
tire's sidewall). Mixing radial and
bias-ply tires on your car can reduce its braking ability, traction, andsteering accuracy. It is best to replace all four tires at
the same time. If that is not possible
or necessary, then replace the two
front tires or the two rear tires as a
pair. Replacing just one tire can seriously affect your car's handling. The ABS works by comparing the
speed of the wheels. When replacing
tires, use the same size originally supplied with the car. Tire size and
construction can affect wheel speed and may cause the system to work in-
consistently.
If you ever need to replace a wheel,
make sure the wheel's specifications
match those of the original wheel
that came on your car. Replacement
wheels are available at your Honda dealer.

Maintenance

Installing improper tires on your
car can affect handling and
stability. This can cause a crash in which you can be seriouslyhurt or killed.
Always use the size and type of
tires recommended in this owner's manual.Main Menu Table of Contents s t

Tires

Wheels and Tires
Wheels:
(U.S.: DX, EX, Canada: Si, DX) 14x5J
(U.S.: HX) 14 x 51/2 JJ

(U.S.: Si, Canada: SiR)
15 x 6JJ

Tires:
(U.S.: DX, EX, HX, Canada: DX, Si)
P185/65R14 85S

(U.S.: Si, Canada: SiR)
P195/55 R15 84V

See Tire Information on page 249 for additional information about tire and
wheel size designations. See page 250 for information about DOT Tire
Quality Grading.
Winter Driving

Tires that are marked "M + S" or
"All Season" on the sidewall have an
all-weather tread design. Theyshould be suitable for most winter
driving conditions. Tires without
these markings are designed for
optimum traction in dry conditions.
They may not provide adequate performance in winter driving.
For the best performance in snowyor icy conditions, you should install
snow tires or tire chains. They may
be required by local laws under certain conditions.
Snow Tires

If you mount snow tires on your Honda, make sure they are radial
tires of the same size and load range as the original tires. Mount snow
tires on all four wheels to balance
your car's handling in all weather conditions. Keep in mind the traction
provided by snow tires on dry roads
may not be as high as your car'soriginal equipment tires. You should
drive cautiously even when the roads
are clear. Check with the tire dealer
for maximum speed recommenda-

tions.

MaintenanceMain Menu Table of Contents s t

Tires

Tire Chains

Mount snow chains on your vehicle
when warranted by driving condi-
tions or required by local laws. Make sure the chains are the correct size
for your tires. Install them only on
the front tires. If metal chains are
used, they must be SAE class "S." Cable type traction devices can also

be used.

When installing chains, follow the manufacturer's instructions and
mount them as tightly as you can.
Drive slowly with chains installed. If
you hear the chains contacting the
body or chassis, stop and investigate. Make sure the chains are installed
tightly, and that they are not
contacting the brake lines or suspension. Remove the chains as
soon as you begin driving on cleared

roads.
Chains of the wrong size or that are
improperly installed can damage your
car's brake lines, suspension, body, and wheels. Stop driving if you hear the
chains hitting any part of the car.

Maintenance

NOTICEMain Menu Table of Contents s t

Compact Spare Tire

Your car has a compact spare tire that takes up less space. Use thisspare tire as a temporary replace-
ment only. Get your regular tire
repaired or replaced and put back on
your car as soon as you can.
Check the inflation pressure of the
compact spare tire every time you
check the other tires. It should be
inflated to: 60 psi (420 kPa , 4.2 kgf/cm2)
Follow these precautions whenever

you are using the compact spare tire:

Do not exceed 50 mph (80 km/h)

under any circumstances.

This tire gives a harsher ride and
less traction on some road sur-

faces than the regular tire. Use

greater caution while driving on

this tire.

Do not mount snow chains on the

compact spare.

The wheel of the folding spare tire is designed especially to fit your
car. Do not use your spare tire on

another car unless it is the same

make and model.
The compact spare tire has a shorter
tread life than a regular tire. Replace
it when you can see the tread wear
indicator bars. The replacementshould be the same size and design
tire, mounted on the same wheel.
The compact spare tire is not designed to be mounted on a regular
wheel, and the compact wheel is not designed for mounting a regular tire.
Taking Care of the Unexpected INDICATOR LOCATION MARK
TREAD WEAR INDICATOR BARMain Menu Table of Contents s t

Technical Information

The diagrams in this section give you the dimensions and capacities of
your Honda, and the locations of the identification numbers. The expla-
nations of several electronic and
mechanical systems on your Honda
are for the more technically-oriented
owner. Identification Numbers................. 244
Specifications................................. 246
Tire Information............................ 249 Tire Size Designation................ 249
Wheel Size Designation............ 249
Tire Speed Ratings.................... 249
Tire Pressure Adjustment For High Speed Driving............... 250
DOT Tire Quality Grading....... 250
Treadwear.............................. 250
Traction.................................. 251Temperature.......................... 251
Oxygenated Fuels.......................... 252
Driving in Foreign Countries....... 253 Emissions Controls........................ 254
The Clean Air Act...................... 254Crankcase Emissions Control System..................................... 254
Evaporative Emissions Control System..................................... 254
Onboard Refueling Vapor Recovery................................. 254
Exhaust Emissions Controls.... 255 PGM-FI System..................... 255
Ignition Timing ControlSystem................................. 255
Exhaust Gas Recirculation (EGR) System.................... 255
Three Way Catalytic Converter............................ 255
Replacement Parts..................... 255
Three Way Catalytic Converter... 256

Technical InformationMain Menu s t

Tire Information

Tire Size Designation A tire's sidewall is marked with a tire size designation. You will need this
information when selecting replace-
ment tires for your vehicle. The
following explains what the letters and numbers in the tire size
designation mean.
(Example tire size designation)
P185/65R14 85S
P — Applicable vehicle type (tires
marked with the prefix "P" are
intended for use on passenger cars;
however, not all tires have this
marking).
185 — Tire width in millimeters.
65 — Aspect ratio. The tire's section
height as a percentage of its width.
R — Tire construction code (Radial). 14 — Rim diameter in inches. 85 — Load Index, a numerical code
associated with the maximum load
the tire can carry.
S — Speed Symbol. See the speed
rating chart in this section for additional information.
Wheel Size Designation Wheels are also marked with important information that you need
if you ever have to replace one. The
following explains what the letters and numbers in the wheel size
designation mean.
(Example wheel size designation)
14x5J
14 — Rim diameter in inches.
5 — Rim width in inches.
J — Rim contour designation. Tire Speed Ratings
The chart below shows many of the different speed ratings currently
being used for passenger vehicle
tires. The speed symbol is part of the tire size designation on the sidewallof the tire. This symbol corresponds
to that tire's designed maximum safe
operating speed.

Technical InformationMain Menu Table of Contents s t