2000 HONDA CIVIC COUPE transmission

2000 Civic Sedan
Online Reference Owner's Manual
Contents

Introduction ........................................................................\
................................................................. i
A Few Words About Safet y........................................................................\
.........................................ii
Driver and Passenger Safety ........................................................................\
..................................... .5
Proper use and care of your vehicle's seat belts, and Supplemental Restr\
aint System.
Instruments and Controls........................................................................\
........................................ .51
Instrume nt panel indicator and gauge, and how to use dashboard and steering colu\
mn controls.
Comfort and Convenience Features ........................................................................\
..................... . 89
How to operate the climate control system, the audio system, and other c\
onvenience features.
Before Driving........................................................................\
..........................................................141
What gasoline to use, how to break -in your new vehicle, and how to load luggage and other cargo.
Driving ........................................................................\
..................................................................... .155
The proper way to start the engine, shift the transmission, and park, pl\
us towing a trailer.
Maintenance........................................................................\
.............................................................173
The Maintenance Schedule shows you when you need to take you r vehicle to the dealer.
Appearance Care........................................................................\
..................................................... .231
Tips on cleaning and protecting your vehicle. Things to look for if your\
vehicle ever needs body repairs.
Taking Care of the Unexpected........................................................................\
..............................237
This section covers several problems motorists sometimes experience, an d how to handle them.
Technical Information........................................................................\
............................................ .261
ID numbers, dimensions, capacities, and technical information.
Warranty and Customer Relations (U.S. and Canada)................................................................273
A summary of the warranties covering your new Acura, and how to contact \
us.
Authorized Manuals (U.S. only)........................................................................\
..............................279
How to order manuals and other technical literature.
Index........................................................................\
.............................................................................. I
A summary of information you need when you pull up to the fuel pump. Service Information Summary Use these links (and links throughout this manual) to navigate through\
this reference.
For a printed owner's manual, click on authorized manuals or go to www.\
helminc.com. If you have a Civic refer to Civic Sedan GX Owner’s Manual Supplement
for additional information.
Owner's Identification Form

Key
s an d Lock s

Ignitio n Switc h

Th e ignitio n switc h is o n th e righ t
sid e o f th e steerin g column . I t ha s
fou r positions :
LOC K (0 )
ACCESSOR Y (I )
O N (II )
STAR T (III ) LOC
K (0 ) — Yo u ca n inser t o r
remov e th e ke y onl y i n thi s position .
T o switc h fro m ACCESSOR Y to
LOCK , yo u mus t pus h th e ke y in
slightl y a s yo u tur n it . I f you r ca r ha s
a n automati c transmission , th e shif t
leve r mus t als o b e in Park . Th e anti -
thef t loc k wil l loc k th e steerin g
colum n whe n yo u remov e th e key .
I f th e fron t wheel s ar e turned , th e
anti-thef t loc k ma y sometime s mak e
i t difficul t t o tur n th e ke y fro m
LOC K to ACCESSORY . Firml y tur n
th e steerin g whee l t o th e lef t o r t o
th e righ t a s yo u tur n th e key .

Instrument s an d Control s
Removin
g th e ke y fro m th e

ignitio n switc h whil e drivin g

lock s th e steering . Thi s ca n
caus e yo u to los e control .
Remov e th e ke y fro m th e

ignitio n switc h onl y whe n

parked .

Drivin
g

Thi s sectio n give s yo u tip s o n
startin g th e engin e unde r variou s
conditions , an d ho w to operat e th e
5-spee d manua l an d automati c
transmissions . I t als o include s impor -
tan t informatio n o n parkin g you r car ,
an d th e brakin g system . Preparin
g to Drive........................ . 15 6
Startin g th e Engine....................... . 15 7
Startin g i n Col d Weathe r
a t Hig h Altitud e .................... . 15 7
5-spee d Manua l Transmission.... . 15 8
Recommende d Shif t Points..... . 15 9
Engin e Spee d Limiter.............. . 15 9
Automati c Transmission.............. . 16 0
Shif t Leve r Positio n Indicator. . 16 0
Shif t Leve r Positions................ . 16 1
Engin e Spee d Limite r .............. . 16 3
Shif t Loc k Release.................... . 16 4
Parking........................................... . 16 5
Parkin g Tips.............................. . 16 5
Th e Brakin g System..................... . 16 6
Brak e Wea r Indicators............. . 16 6
Brak e Syste m Design............... . 16 7
Anti-loc k Brakes....................... . 16 7
Importan t Safet y
Reminders......................... . 16 8
AB S Indicator........................ . 16 9
Drivin g in Ba d Weather............... . 17 0
Towin g a Trailer........................... . 17 1

Drivin g

Startin
g th e Engin e

1 . Appl y th e parkin g brake .

2 . I n col d weather , tur n of f al l

electrica l accessorie s t o reduc e

th e drai n o n th e battery .

3 . Manual Transmission:

Pus h th e clutc h peda l dow n al l th e
way . STAR T (III ) doe s no t
functio n unles s th e clutc h peda l i s

depressed .

Automatic Transmission:
Mak e sur e th e shif t leve r i s in
Park . Pres s o n th e brak e pedal .

4 . Withou t touchin g th e accelerato r

pedal , tur n th e ignitio n ke y to th e
STAR T (III ) position . I f th e engin e
doe s no t star t righ t away , d o no t
hol d th e ke y in STAR T (III ) fo r
mor e tha n 1 5 second s a t a time .
Paus e fo r a t leas t 1 0 second s

befor e tryin g again .
5
. I f th e engin e doe s no t star t withi n
1 5 seconds , o r start s bu t stall s
righ t away , repea t ste p 4 wit h th e
accelerato r peda l presse d half-wa y
down . I f th e engin e starts , releas e
pressur e o n th e accelerato r peda l
s o th e engin e doe s no t race .
6 . I f th e engin e stil l doe s no t start ,
pres s th e accelerato r peda l al l th e
wa y dow n an d hol d it ther e whil e
startin g in orde r t o clea r flooding .
A s before , kee p th e ignitio n ke y in
th e STAR T (III ) positio n fo r n o
mor e tha n 1 5 seconds . Retur n to
ste p 5 if th e engin e doe s no t start .
I f i t starts , lif t you r foo t of f th e
accelerato r peda l s o th e engin e
doe s no t race .

Startin g in Col d Weathe r a t Hig h
Altitude (Above 8,000 feet/

2,40 0 meters )

A n
engin
e is harde r t o star t i n col d
weather . Th e thinne r ai r foun d a t
hig h altitud e abov e 8,00 0 fee t (2,40 0 meters
) add s t o th e problem .
Us e th e followin g procedure :
1 . Tur n of f al l electrica l accessorie s
t o reduc e th e drai n o n th e battery .
2 . Pus h th e accelerato r peda l half -
wa y t o th e floo r an d hol d it ther e
whil e startin g th e engine . D o no t
hol d th e ignitio n ke y in STAR T
(III ) fo r mor e tha n 1 5 seconds .
Whe n th e engin e starts , releas e
th e accelerato r peda l graduall y a s
th e engin e speed s u p an d smooth s
out .
3 . I f th e engin e fail s t o star t i n ste p 2 ,
pus h th e accelerato r peda l t o th e
floo r an d hol d it ther e whil e yo u
tr y t o star t th e engin e fo r n o mor e
tha n 1 5 seconds . I f th e engin e
doe s no t start , retur n to ste p 2 .

Drivin g

Automati
c Transmissio n

You r Honda' s transmissio n ha s fou r
forwar d speeds , an d is electronicall y
controlle d fo r smoothe r shifting . I t
als o ha s a "lock-up " torqu e converte r
fo r bette r fue l economy . Yo u ma y
fee l wha t seem s lik e anothe r shif t
whe n th e converte r locks . Shif
t Leve r Positio n Indicato r
Thi s indicato r o n th e instrumen t
pane l show s whic h positio n th e shif t
leve r i s in . Th
e "D4 " indicato r come s o n fo r a
fe w second s whe n yo u tur n th e
ignitio n switc h O N (II) . I f i t flashe s
whil e drivin g (i n an y shif t position) ,
i t indicate s a possibl e proble m in th e
transmission . Avoi d rapi d acceler -
atio n an d hav e th e transmissio n
checke d b y a n authorize d Hond a
deale r a s soo n a s possible .
Drivin g Excep
t E X an d U.S . L X
E X an d U.S . L X

Automati
c Transmissio n

Shif t Leve r Position s
Th e shif t leve r ha s si x positions . I t
mus t b e in Par k o r Neutra l t o star t
th e engine . Whe n yo u ar e stoppe d in
D4 , D3 , 2 , N or R , pres s firml y o n th e
brak e pedal , an d kee p you r foo t of f
th e accelerato r pedal . Par
k (P ) — Thi s positio n mechani -
call y lock s th e transmission . Us e
Par k wheneve r yo u ar e turnin g of f o r
startin g th e engine . T o shif t ou t o f
Park , yo u mus t pres s o n th e brak e
peda l an d hav e you r foo t of f th e
accelerato r pedal . Pres s th e releas e
butto n o n th e sid e o f th e shif t leve r
t o mov e it .

CONTINUED

Drivin g

RELEAS
E

BUTTO N

SHIF T LEVE R

Parkin
g

Alway s us e th e parkin g brak e whe n
yo u par k you r car . Th e indicato r o n
th e instrumen t pane l show s tha t th e
parkin g brak e is no t full y released ; i t
doe s no t indicat e tha t th e parkin g
brak e is firml y set . Mak e sur e th e
parkin g brak e is se t firml y o r you r
ca r ma y rol l i f i t i s parke d o n a n

incline .

I f you r ca r ha s a n automati c
transmission , se t th e parkin g brak e
befor e yo u pu t th e transmissio n in
Park . Thi s keep s th e ca r fro m
movin g an d puttin g pressur e o n th e
parkin g mechanis m in th e
transmissio n — makin g it easie r t o
mov e th e shif t leve r ou t o f Par k
whe n yo u wan t t o driv e away . I
f th e ca r i s facin g uphill , tur n th e
fron t wheel s awa y fro m th e curb . I f
yo u hav e a manua l transmission , pu t
i t i n firs t gear .
I f th e ca r i s facin g downhill , tur n th e
fron t wheel s towar d th e curb . I f yo u
hav e a manua l transmission , pu t i t i n
revers e gear .
Mak e sur e th e parkin g brak e i s full y
release d befor e drivin g away .
Drivin g wit h th e parkin g brak e
partiall y se t ca n overhea t o r damag e
th e rea r brakes . Parkin
g Tip s Mak
e sur e th e moonroo f an d th e
window s ar e closed .
Tur n of f th e lights .
Plac e an y packages , valuables , etc. ,
i n th e trun k o r tak e the m wit h you .
Loc k th e door s wit h th e ke y o r th e
remot e transmitter . Neve
r par k ove r dr y leaves , tal l
grass , o r othe r flammabl e
materials . Th e thre e wa y catalyti c
converte r get s ver y hot , an d coul d
caus e thes e material s t o catc h o n

fire .

Driving

Maintenanc
e

Thi s sectio n explain s wh y i t i s
importan t t o kee p you r ca r wel l
maintaine d an d t o follo w basi c
maintenanc e safet y precautions .
Thi s sectio n als o include s
Maintenanc e Schedule s fo r norma l
drivin g an d sever e drivin g conditions ,
a Maintenanc e Record , an d instruc -
tion s fo r simpl e maintenanc e task s
yo u ma y wan t t o tak e car e o f
yourself .
I f yo u hav e th e skill s an d tool s t o per -
for m mor e comple x maintenanc e
task s o n you r Honda , yo u ma y wan t
t o purchas e th e Servic e Manual . Se e
pag e 27 9 fo r informatio n o n ho w to
obtai n a copy , o r se e you r Hond a

dealer .
Maintenanc
e Safety...................... . 17 4
Importan t Safet y Precautions. . 17 5
Maintenanc e Schedule................. . 17 6

Maintenanc e Record.................... . 18 3

Owne r Maintenanc e Checks....... . 18 5
Flui d Locations.............................. . 18 6

Engin e Oil...................................... . 18 7

Addin g Oil.................................. . 18 7

Recommende d Oil.................... . 18 7
Syntheti c Oil.............................. . 18 8

Additives.................................... . 18 8

Changin g th e Oi l an d Filter..... . 18 9

Coolin g System............................. . 19 1

Addin g Engin e Coolant............ . 19 1
Replacin g Engin e Coolant....... . 19 3
Windshiel d Washers.................... . 19 6

Transmissio n Fluid....................... . 19 7

Automati c

Transmission......................... . 19 7

5-spee d Manua l

Transmission......................... . 19 8

Brak e an d Clutc h Fluid................ . 19 8

Brak e System............................ . 19 9
Clutc h System........................... . 19 9

Powe r Steering.............................. . 20 0

Ai r Cleane r Element..................... . 20 1 Hoo
d Latch.................................... . 20 2
Spar k Plugs.................................... . 20 3

Replacement.............................. . 20 3

Specifications............................ . 20 4

Battery........................................... . 20 5

Wipe r Blades................................. . 20 7
Ai r Conditionin g System.............. . 20 9
Driv e Belts..................................... . 21 0

Timin g Belt.................................... . 21 0

Tires............................................... . 21 1
Inflation...................................... . 21 1

Recommende d Tir e Pressure s

fo r Norma l Driving........... . 21 2

Tir e Pressur e Adjustmen t fo r

Hig h Spee d Driving.......... . 21 2
Inspection.................................. . 21 3
Maintenance.............................. . 21 3
Tir e Rotation............................. . 21 4

Replacin g Tire s an d Wheels... . 21 5

Wheel s an d Tires...................... . 21 6
Winte r Driving.......................... . 21 6

Sno w Tires............................. . 21 6

Tir e Chains............................ . 21 7
Lights............................................. . 21 8
Replacin g Bulbs........................ . 22 0

Storin g You r Car........................... . 22 9

Maintenanc e