2000 HONDA CIVIC COUPE Owners Manual

230

Appearanc
e Car e

Regula r cleanin g an d polishin g of
you r Hond a help s t o kee p it "new "
looking . Thi s sectio n give s yo u hint s
o n ho w to clea n you r ca r an d
preserv e it s appearance : th e paint ,
brightwork , wheel s an d interior . Als o
include d ar e severa l thing s yo u ca n
d o to hel p preven t corrosion . Exterio
r Care................................. . 23 2
Washing..................................... . 23 2
Waxing....................................... . 23 3

Pain t Touch-up.......................... . 23 3

Interio r Care.................................. . 23 4
Carpeting................................... . 23 4

Fabric.......................................... 234

Vinyl............................................ 234

Sea t Belts................................... . 23 4

Windows.................................... . 23 5
Ai r Fresheners.......................... . 23 5
Corrosio n Protection.................... . 23 5
Bod y Repairs................................. . 23 6
Appearanc e Car e

Exterio
r Car e

Washin g

Frequen t washin g help s preserv e
you r car' s beauty . Dir t an d gri t ca n
scratc h th e paint , whil e tre e sa p an d
bir d dropping s ca n permanentl y rui n
th e finish .
Was h you r ca r i n a shad y area , no t i n
direc t sunlight . I f th e ca r i s parke d in
th e sun , mov e it int o th e shad e an d
le t th e exterio r coo l dow n befor e yo u
start .
Onl y us e th e solvent s an d cleaner s
recommende d in thi s Owner' s

Manual .

Chemical solvents and strong cleaners
can damage the paint, metal, and
plastic on your car.
Rins
e th e ca r thoroughl y wit h coo l
wate r t o remov e loos e dirt .
Fil l a bucke t wit h coo l water . Mi x
i n a mil d detergent , suc h a s
dishwashin g liqui d o r a produc t
mad e especiall y fo r ca r washing .
Was h th e ca r usin g th e wate r an d
detergen t solutio n an d a soft -
bristl e brush , sponge , o r sof t cloth .
Star t a t th e to p an d wor k you r wa y
down . Rins e frequently .
Chec k th e bod y fo r roa d tar , tre e sap
, etc . Remov e thes e stain s wit h
ta r remove r o r turpentine . Rins e it
of f immediatel y s o it doe s no t
har m th e finish . Remembe r t o re -
wax thes e areas , eve n if th e res t o f
th e ca r doe s no t nee d waxing . Whe
n yo u hav e washe d an d rinse d
th e whol e exterior , dr y it wit h a
chamoi s o r sof t towel . Lettin g it
air-dr y wil l caus e dullin g an d wate r

spots .

A s yo u dr y th e car , inspec t i t fo r
chip s an d scratche s tha t coul d allo w
corrosio n to start . Repai r the m wit h
touch-u p pain t (se e pag e 233 ).

Appearanc e Car e

NOTIC
E

Exterio
r Car e

Waxin g
Alway s was h an d dr y th e whol e ca r
befor e waxin g it . Yo u shoul d wa x
you r car , includin g th e meta l trim ,
wheneve r wate r sit s o n th e surfac e
i n larg e patches . I t shoul d for m int o
bead s o r droplet s afte r waxing .
Yo u shoul d us e a qualit y liqui d o r
past e wax . Appl y i t accordin g t o th e
instruction s o n th e container . I n
general , ther e ar e tw o type s o f
products :
Waxe s — A wa x coat s th e finis h an d
protect s i t fro m damag e b y exposur e
t o sunlight , ai r pollution , etc . Yo u
shoul d us e a wa x o n you r Hond a
whe n it i s new . Polishe
s — Polishe s an d cleaner /
waxe s ca n restor e th e shin e t o pain t
tha t ha s oxidize d an d los t som e o f it s
shine . The y normall y contai n mil d
abrasive s an d solvent s tha t remov e
th e to p laye r o f th e finish . Yo u
shoul d us e a polis h o n you r Hond a if
th e finis h doe s no t hav e it s origina l
shin e afte r usin g a wax .
Cleanin g tar , insects , etc . wit h
remover s als o take s of f th e wax .
Remembe r t o re-wa x thos e areas ,
eve n if th e res t o f th e ca r doe s no t

nee d waxing .
Pain
t Touch-u p

You r deale r ha s touch-u p pain t t o
matc h you r car' s color . Th e colo r
cod e is printe d o n a sticke r o n th e
driver' s doorjamb . Tak e thi s cod e t o
you r deale r s o yo u ar e sur e t o ge t
th e correc t color .
Inspec t you r ca r frequentl y fo r chip s
o r scratche s i n th e paint . Repai r
the m righ t awa y t o preven t corrosio n
o f th e meta l underneath . Us e th e
touch-u p pain t onl y o n smal l chip s
an d scratches . Mor e extensiv e pain t
damag e shoul d b e repaire d b y a

professional .

Appearanc e Car e

Interio
r Car e

Carpetin g

Vacuu m th e carpetin g frequentl y t o
remov e dirt . Ground-i n dir t wil l mak e
th e carpe t wea r ou t faster .
Periodicall y shampo o th e carpe t t o
kee p it lookin g new . Us e on e o f th e
foam-typ e carpe t cleaner s o n th e
market . Follo w th e instruction s tha t
com e wit h th e cleaner , applyin g it
wit h a spong e o r sof t brush . Kee p
th e carpetin g a s dr y a s possibl e b y
no t addin g wate r t o th e foam .
Fabri c
Vacuu m dir t an d dus t ou t o f th e
materia l frequently . Fo r genera l
cleaning , us e a solutio n o f mil d soa p
an d lukewar m water , lettin g it ai r dry .
T o clea n of f stubbor n spots , us e a
commercially-availabl e fabri c cleaner .
Tes t i t o n a hidde n are a o f th e fabri c
first , t o mak e sur e it doe s no t bleac h
o r stai n th e fabric . Follo w th e
instruction s tha t com e wit h th e

cleaner .
Viny
l

Remov e dir t an d dus t wit h a vacuu m
cleaner . Wip e th e viny l wit h a sof t
clot h dampene d in a solutio n o f mil d
soa p an d water . Us e th e sam e
solutio n wit h a soft-bristl e brus h o n
mor e difficul t spots . Yo u ca n als o us e
commercially-availabl e spra y o r
foam-typ e viny l cleaners .
Sea t Belt s
I f you r sea t belt s ge t dirty , yo u ca n
us e a sof t brus h wit h a mixtur e o f
mil d soa p an d war m wate r t o clea n
them . D o no t us e bleach , dye , o r
cleanin g solvents . The y ca n weake n
th e bel t material . Le t th e belt s air -
dr y befor e yo u us e th e car . Dir
t build-u p in th e loop s o f th e sea t
bel t anchor s ca n caus e th e belt s t o
retrac t slowly . Wip e th e inside s o f
th e loop s wit h a clea n clot h
dampene d in mil d soa p an d war m
wate r o r isopropy l alcohol .

Appearanc e Car e
LOO
P

Interio
r Care , Corrosio n Protectio n

Window s
Clea n th e windows , insid e an d out ,
wit h a commercially-availabl e glas s
cleaner . Yo u ca n als o us e a mixtur e
o f on e par t whit e vinega r t o te n part s
water . Thi s wil l remov e th e haz e tha t
build s u p o n th e insid e o f th e
windows . Us e a sof t clot h o r pape r
towel s t o clea n al l glas s an d clea r
plasti c surfaces .

The rear window defogger and
antenna wires are bonded to the inside
of the glass. Wiping vigorously up-and-

down can dislodge and break these

wires. When cleaning the rear window,
use gentle pressure and wipe side-to-

side.
Ai
r Freshener s
I f yo u wan t t o us e a n ai r freshener /
deodorize r i n th e interio r o f you r car ,

i t i s bes t t o us e a soli d type . Som e
liqui d ai r freshener s contai n chemi -
cal s tha t ma y caus e part s o f th e
interio r tri m an d fabri c t o crac k o r
discolor .
I f yo u us e a liqui d ai r freshener ,
mak e sur e yo u faste n it securel y s o it
doe s no t spil l a s yo u drive . Corrosio
n Protectio n
Tw o factor s normall y contribut e t o
causin g corrosio n in you r car :
1 . Moistur e trappe d in bod y cavities .
Dir t an d roa d sal t tha t collect s i n
hollow s o n th e undersid e o f th e
ca r stay s damp , promotin g
corrosio n in tha t area .
2 . Remova l o f pain t an d protectiv e
coating s fro m th e exterio r an d
undersid e o f th e car .
Man y corrosion-preventiv e measure s
ar e buil t int o you r Honda . Yo u ca n
hel p kee p you r ca r fro m corrodin g
b y performin g som e simpl e periodi c
maintenance : Repai
r chip s an d scratche s i n th e
pain t a s soo n a s yo u discove r them .

CONTINUED

Appearanc e Car e

NOTIC
E

Corrosio
n Protection , Bod y Repair s

Inspec t an d clea n ou t th e drai n
hole s i n th e botto m o f th e door s
an d body .
Chec k th e floo r covering s fo r
dampness . Carpetin g an d floo r
mat s ma y remai n dam p fo r a lon g
time , especiall y i n winter . Thi s
dampnes s ca n eventuall y caus e
th e floo r panel s t o corrode .
Us e a high-pressur e spra y t o clea n
th e undersid e o f you r car . Thi s i s
especiall y importan t i n area s tha t
us e roa d sal t i n winter . I t i s als o a
goo d ide a in humi d climate s an d
area s subjec t t o sal t air . Car s
equippe d wit h AB S hav e a senso r
an d wirin g a t eac h wheel . B e
carefu l no t t o damag e them . Hav
e th e corrosion-preventiv e
coating s o n th e undersid e o f you r
ca r inspecte d an d repaire d
periodically . Bod
y Repair s

Bod y repair s ca n affec t you r car' s

resistanc e to corrosion . I f you r ca r

need s repair s afte r a collision , pa y

clos e attentio n to th e part s use d in
th e repai r an d th e qualit y o f th e

work .

Mak e sur e th e repai r facilit y use s
Genuin e Hond a replacemen t bod y

parts . Som e companie s mak e shee t

meta l piece s tha t see m to duplicat e

th e origina l Hond a bod y parts , bu t

ar e actuall y inferio r i n fit , finish , an d

corrosio n resistance . Onc e installed ,

the y d o no t giv e th e sam e high -

qualit y appearance .
Whe
n reportin g you r collisio n t o th e
insuranc e company , tel l the m yo u
wan t Genuin e Hond a part s use d in
th e repair . Althoug h mos t insurer s
recogniz e th e qualit y o f origina l
parts , som e ma y tr y t o specif y tha t
th e repair s b e don e wit h othe r
availabl e parts . Yo u shoul d investi -
gat e thi s befor e an y repair s hav e

begun .

Tak e you r ca r t o you r authorize d
Hond a deale r fo r inspectio n afte r th e
repair s ar e completed . You r deale r
ca n mak e sur e tha t qualit y material s
wer e used , an d tha t corrosion -
preventiv e coating s wer e applie d t o
al l repaire d an d replace d parts .
Appearanc e Car e

Takin
g Car e o f th e Unexpecte d
Thi s sectio n cover s th e more -
commo n problem s tha t motorist s
experienc e wit h thei r vehicles . I t
give s yo u informatio n abou t ho w to
safel y evaluat e th e proble m an d wha t
t o d o t o correc t it . I f th e proble m ha s
strande d yo u o n th e sid e o f th e road ,
yo u ma y b e abl e t o ge t goin g again .
I f not , yo u wil l als o fin d instruction s
o n gettin g you r ca r towed . Compac
t Spar e Tire...................... . 23 8
Changin g a Fla t Tire.................... . 23 9
I f You r Engin e Won' t Start.......... . 24 4
Nothin g Happen s o r th e Starte r
Moto r Operate s Ver y
Slowly..................................... . 24 4
Th e Starte r Operate s

Normally................................. 245

Jump Starting................................ . 24 5
I f You r Engin e Overheats............ . 24 7
Lo w Oi l Pressur e Indicator......... . 24 9
Chargin g Syste m Indicator.......... . 25 0
Malfunctio n Indicato r Lam p ....... . 25 1
Brak e Syste m Indicator............... . 25 2
Closin g th e Moonroof.................. . 25 3
Fuses.............................................. . 25 4
Checkin g an d Replacing.......... . 25 5
Emergenc y Towing...................... . 25 9

Takin g Car e o f th e Unexpecte d