2000 HONDA CIVIC COUPE seats

Drive
r an d Passenge r Safet y

Thi s sectio n give s yo u importan t

informatio n abou t ho w to protec t

yoursel f an d you r passengers . I t

show s yo u ho w to us e sea t belt s

properly . I t explains your Supple -

menta l Restrain t System . An d it tell s

yo u ho w to properl y restrai n infant s
an d childre n in you r car .

Importan t Safet y Precautions......... . 6

You r Car' s Safet y Features............. . 7

Sea t Belts....................................... . 8
Airbags...........................................
. 9

Seat s & Seat-Backs..................... . 1 0

Hea d Restraints.......................... . 1 0

Doo r Locks.................................. . 1 1

Pre-Driv e Safet y Checklist........ . 1 1

Protectin g Adults............................ . 1 2

1 . Clos e an d Loc k th e Doors..... . 1 2

2 . Adjus t th e Fron t Seats........... . 1 2

3 . Adjus t th e Seat-Backs............ . 1 3

4 . Adjus t th e Hea d Restraints... . 1 4

5 . Faste n an d Positio n th e Sea t

Belts..................................... . 1 5

6 . Adjus t th e Steerin g Wheel.... . 1 8

7 . Maintai n a Prope r Sittin g

Position................................ . 1 8

Advic e fo r Pregnan t Women..... . 1 9

Additiona l Safet y Precautions... . 1 9

Protectin g Children........................ . 2 1

Al l Childre n Mus t B e

Restrained............................... . 2 1

Childre n Shoul d Si t i n th e Bac k

Seat........................................... . 2 2

Th e Passenger' s Airba g Pose s

Seriou s Risk s t o Children...... . 2 2

I f Yo u Mus t Driv e wit h Severa l

Children................................... . 2 4
I
f a Chil d Require s Clos e
Attention.................................. . 2 4
Additiona l Safet y Precautions... . 2 4
Genera l Guideline s fo r Usin g

Chil d Seats............................... . 2 5

Protectin g Infants....................... . 2 9
Protectin g Smal l Children......... . 3 3
Protectin g Large r Children....... . 3 7
Usin g Chil d Seat s wit h
Tethers..................................... . 4 0
Additiona l Informatio n Abou t You r

Sea t Belts................................. . 4 2

Sea t Bel t Syste m Components.. . 4 2
Lap/Shoulde r Belt...................... . 4 2
La p Belt........................................ . 4 3
Sea t Bel t Maintenance............... . 4 4
Additiona l Informatio n Abou t You r

SRS........................................... . 4 5

SR S Components........................ . 4 5

Ho w You r Airbag s Work........... . 4 5
Ho w th e SR S Indicato r Ligh t
Works....................................... . 4 7

SR S Service.................................. . 4 7

Additiona l Safet y Precautions... . 4 8

Carbo n Monoxid e Hazard............. . 4 9

Safet y Labels................................... . 5 0

Drive r an d Passenge r Safet y

You
r Car' s Safet y Feature s
Sea t Belt s
Fo r you r safety , an d th e safet y o f
you r passengers , you r ca r i s
equippe d wit h sea t belt s i n al l seatin g
positions .
You r sea t bel t syste m als o include
s a ligh t o n th e
instrumen t pane l t o remin d yo u an d
you r passenger s t o faste n you r sea t
belts .

Why Wear Seat Belts

Sea t belt s ar e th e singl e mos t
effectiv e safet y devic e fo r adult s an d
large r children . (Infant s an d smalle r
childre n mus t b e properl y restraine d
i n chil d seats. )
No t wearin g a sea t bel t properl y
increase s th e chanc e o f seriou s
injur y o r deat h in a crash , eve n
thoug h you r ca r ha s airbags . I
n addition , mos t state s an d al l
Canadia n province s requir e yo u to
wea r sea t belts .
Whe n properl y worn , sea t belts :
Kee p yo u connecte d t o th e vehicl e
s o yo u ca n tak e advantag e o f th e
vehicle' s built-i n safel y features . Hel
p protec t yo u i n almost every
typ e o f crash , includin g sid e an d
rea r impact s an d rollovers . (You r
airba g ca n onl y b e helpfu l i n a
moderat e t o sever e fronta l
collision.
)
Hel p kee p yo u fro m bein g throw n

agains t th e insid e o f th e vehicl e

an d agains t othe r occupants .

Kee p yo u fro m bein g throw n ou t

o f th e vehicle .
Hel
p kee p yo u in a goo d positio n

shoul d th e airbag s eve r deploy . A

goo d positio n reduce s th e ris k o f

injur y fro m an inflatin g airbag , an d

allow s yo u to ge t th e bes t

advantag e fro m th e airbag .
O f course , sea t belt s canno t

completel y protec t yo u in ever y

crash . Bu t i n mos t cases , sea t belt s

ca n reduc e you r ris k o f seriou s

injury .

What you should do: Alway s wea r

you r sea t belt , an d mak e sur e yo u
wea r i t properly .

Drive r an d Passenge r Safet y
No
t wearin g a sea t bel t properl y

increase s th e chanc e o f seriou s

injur y o r deat h i n a crash , eve n

i f yo u hav e airbags .

B e sur e yo u an d you r

passenger s alway s wea r sea t

belt s an d wea r the m properly .

You
r Car' s Safet y Feature s

Seat s & Seat-Back s
You r car' s seat s ar e designe d to kee p
yo u in a comfortable , uprigh t
positio n s o yo u ca n tak e ful l
advantag e o f th e protectio n offere d
b y sea t belt s an d th e energ y
absorbin g material s i n th e seats .
Ho w yo u adjus t you r seat s an d seat -
back s ca n als o affec t you r safety . Fo r
example , sittin g to o clos e to th e
steerin g whee l o r dashboar d
increase s th e ris k o f yo u o r you r
passenge r bein g injure d b y strikin g
th e insid e o f th e car , o r b y a n
inflatin g airbag .
Reclinin g a seat-bac k to o fa r reduce s
th e sea t belt' s effectivenes s an d
increase s th e chanc e tha t th e seat' s
occupan t wil l slid e unde r th e sea t
bel t i n a cras h an d b e seriousl y

injured .
What you should do: Mov
e th e fron t

seat s a s fa r bac k a s possible , an d
kee p adjustabl e seat-back s in a n
uprigh t positio n wheneve r th e ca r i s

moving .
Hea
d Restraint s
Hea d restraint s ca n hel p protec t yo u
fro m whiplas h an d othe r injuries . Fo r
maximu m protection , th e bac k o f
you r hea d shoul d res t agains t th e
cente r o f th e hea d restraint .

Drive r an d Passenge r Safet y

You
r Car' s Safet y Feature s
Doo r Lock s
Keepin g you r door s locke d reduce s
th e chanc e o f bein g throw n ou t o f
th e ca r durin g a crash . I t als o help s
preven t occupant s fro m accidentall y
openin g a doo r an d fallin g out , an d
outsider s fro m unexpectedl y openin g
you r doors . Pre-Driv
e Safet y Checklis t
T o mak e sur e yo u an d you r
passenger s ge t th e maximu m
protectio n fro m you r car' s safet y
features , chec k th e followin g eac h
tim e befor e yo u driv e away :
Al l adults , an d childre n wh o hav e
outgrow n chil d safet y seats , ar e
wearin g thei r sea t belt s an d
wearin g the m properl y (se e pag e
15 ).

An y infan t o r smal l chil d is
properl y restraine d in a chil d sea t

i n th e bac k sea t (se e pag e 21 ).
Fron t sea t occupant s ar e sittin g
uprigh t an d a s fa r bac k a s possibl e
fro m th e steerin g whee l an d
dashboar d (se e pag e 12 ). Seat-back
s ar e uprigh t (se e pag e
13 ). Hea
d restraint s ar e properl y
adjuste d (se e pag e 1 4 ) .
Al l door s ar e close d an d locke d
(seepag e 11 ). Al
l carg o i s properl y store d o r
secure d (se e pag e 151 ).
Th e res t o f thi s sectio n give s mor e
detaile d informatio n abou t ho w yo u
ca n maximiz e you r safely .
Remember , however , tha t n o safet y
syste m ca n preven t al l injurie s o r
death s tha t ca n occu r i n sever e
crashes , eve n whe n sea t belt s ar e
properl y wor n an d th e airbag s deploy .

Drive r an d Passenge r Safet y

Protectin
g Adult s

T o reduc e th e chanc e o f injury , wea r
you r sea t bel t properly , si t uprigh t
wit h you r bac k agains t th e seat , an d
mov e th e sea t a s fa r bac k a s possibl e
fro m th e steerin g whee l whil e stil l
maintainin g ful l contro l o f th e car .
Als o mak e sur e you r fron t sea t
passenge r move s th e sea t a s fa r t o
th e rea r a s possible . Mos
t shorte r driver s ca n ge t fa r
enoug h awa y fro m th e steerin g
whee l an d stil l reac h th e pedals .
However , i f yo u ar e concerne d abou t
sittin g to o close, we recommen d tha t
yo u investigat e whethe r som e typ e
o f adaptiv e equipmen t ma y help .
Onc e you r sea t i s adjuste d correctly ,
roc k i t bac k an d fort h t o mak e sur e
th e sea t i s locke d in position .
Se e pag e 7 7 fo r ho w to adjus t th e
fron t seats . 3.Adjus
t th e Seat-Back s
Adjus t th e driver' s seat-bac k t o a
comfortable , uprigh t position ,
leavin g ampl e spac e betwee n you r
ches t an d th e airba g cove r i n th e
cente r o f th e steerin g wheel . I f yo u
si t to o clos e t o th e steerin g wheel ,
yo u coul d b e injure d if th e airba g
inflates .

CONTINUED

Drive r an d Passenge r Safet y

Sittin
g to o clos e t o a n airba g
ca n resul t i n seriou s injur y o r
deat h i f th e airbag s inflate .
Alway s si t a s fa r bac k fro m th e
airbag s a s possible .

Protectin
g Adult s

6.Adjus t th e Steerin g Whee l
Adjus t th e steerin g wheel , i f needed ,
s o tha t th e whee l point s towar d you r
chest , no t towar d you r face .

Pointin g th e steerin g whee l towar d

you r ches t provide s optima l
protectio n fro m th e airbag .
Se e pag e 6 5 fo r ho w to adjus t th e

steerin g wheel .
7.Maintai
n a Prope r Sittin g
Positio n
Afte r al l occupant s hav e adjuste d
thei r seat s an d pu t o n sea t belts , i t i s
ver y importan t tha t the y continu e t o
si t upright , wel l bac k in thei r seats ,
wit h thei r fee t o n th e floor , unti l th e
ca r i s parke d an d th e engin e is off .
Sittin g improperl y ca n increas e th e
chanc e o f injur y durin g a crash . Fo r
example , i f a n occupan t slouches ,
lie s down , turn s sideways , sit s
forward , lean s forwar d o r sideways ,
o r put s on e o r bot h fee t up , th e
chanc e o f injur y durin g a cras h is
greatl y increased .
I n addition , a n occupan t wh o is ou t o f
positio n in th e fron t sea t ca n b e
seriousl y o r fatall y injure d b y
strikin g interio r part s o f th e car , o r
b y bein g struc k b y a n inflatin g airbag .Remember
, t o ge t th e bes t
protectio n fro m you r car' s airbag s
an d othe r safet y features , yo u mus t
si t properl y an d wea r you r sea t bel t
properly .

Drive r an d Passenge r Safet y
Sittin
g improperl y o r ou t o f
positio n ca n resul t i n seriou s
injur y o r deat h in a crash .
Alway s si t upright , wel l bac k in
th e seat , wit h you r fee t o n th e

floor .

Protectin
g Childre n

Childre n Shoul d Si t i n th e Bac k

Sea t

Accordin g t o acciden t statistics ,
childre n o f al l age s an d size s ar e
safe r whe n the y ar e restraine d in th e
bac k seat , no t th e fron t seat . Th e
Nationa l Highwa y Traffi c Safet y
Administratio n an d Transpor t
Canad a recommen d tha t al l childre n
age s 1 2 an d unde r b e properl y
restraine d in th e bac k seat .
I n th e bac k seat , childre n ar e les s
likel y t o b e injure d b y strikin g har d
interio r part s durin g a collisio n o r
har d braking . Also , childre n canno t
b e injure d b y a n inflatin g airba g
whe n the y rid e in th e back . Th
e Passenger' s Airba g Pose s
Seriou s Risk s t o Childre n
Airbag s hav e bee n designe d to hel p
protec t adult s in a moderat e to
sever e fronta l collision . T o d o this ,
th e passenger' s airba g is quit e large ,
an d it inflate s wit h tremendou s

speed .

Infants
Never put a rear-facing child seat in the front seat of a vehicle equipped
with a passenger's airbag. I f th e

airba g inflates , i t ca n hi t th e bac k o f
th e chil d sea t wit h enoug h forc e t o
kil l o r ver y seriousl y injur e a n 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. I f th e vehicl e sea t i s to o
fa r forward , o r th e child' s hea d is
throw n forwar d durin g a collision , a n
inflatin g airba g ca n strik e th e chil d
wit h enoug h forc e t o kil l o r ver y
seriousl y injur e a smal l child .

Larger Children
Children who have outgrown child
seats are also at risk of being injured or killed by an inflating passenger's

airbag. Wheneve r possible , large r

childre n shoul d si t i n th e bac k seat ,
properl y restraine d wit h a sea t belt .
(Se e pag e 3 7 fo r importan t
informatio n abou t protectin g large r
children. )
Drive r an d Passenge r Safet y

Protectin
g Childre n

Small Children: A chil d wh o is to o

larg e fo r a rear-facin g chil d seat , an d
wh o ca n si t u p withou t support ,
shoul d b e restraine d in a forward -
facin g chil d seat . Se e pag e 3 3 fo r

additiona l informatio n o n protectin g

smal l children .
3. The child seat should fit the
vehicle seating position (or

positions) where it will be used.

Du e to variation s in th e desig n o f
chil d seats , vehicl e seats , an d sea t
belts , al l chil d seat s wil l no t fi t al l
vehicl e seatin g positions .
However , Hond a is confiden t tha t
on e o r mor e chil d sea t model s ca n fi t
an d b e properl y installe d in al l
recommende d seatin g position s in
you r car . Befor
e purchasin g a chil d seat , w e
recommen d tha t parent s tes t th e
chil d sea t i n th e specifi c vehicl e
seatin g positio n (o r positions ) wher e
the y inten d to us e th e seat . I f a
previousl y purchase d chil d sea t doe s
no t fit , yo u ma y nee d to bu y a
differen t on e tha t wil l fit .
Drive r an d Passenge r Safet y