2000 HONDA CIVIC SEDAN Owner's Manual (in English)

Break-i
n Period , Gasolin e

Break-i n Perio d

Hel p assur e you r car' s futur e
reliabilit y an d performanc e b y payin g
extr a attentio n to ho w yo u driv e
durin g th e firs t 60 0 mile s (1,00 0 km) .
Durin g thi s period : Avoi
d full-throttl e start s an d rapi d

acceleration .
Avoi
d har d braking . Ne w brake s
nee d to b e broken-i n b y moderat e
us e fo r th e firs t 20 0 mile s (30 0

km) .

Yo u shoul d follo w thes e sam e re -
commendation s wit h a n overhaule d
o r exchange d engine , o r whe n th e
brake s ar e relined .
Gasolin
e

You r Hond a is designe d t o operat e
o n unleade d gasolin e wit h a pum p
octan e numbe r o f 8 6 o r higher . Us e
o f a lowe r octan e gasolin e ca n caus e
a persistent , heav y metalli c rappin g
nois e in th e engin e tha t ca n lea d to
mechanica l damage .
W e recommen d gasoline s containin g
detergen t additive s tha t hel p preven t
fue l syste m an d engin e deposits .
Usin g gasolin e containin g lea d wil l
damag e you r car' s emission s
controls . Thi s contribute s t o ai r
pollution . I
n Canada , som e gasoline s contai n
a n octane-enhancin g additiv e calle d
MMT . I f yo u us e suc h gasolines ,
you r emissio n contro l syste m
performanc e ma y deteriorat e an d
th e Malfunctio n Indicato r Lam p o n
you r instrumen t pane l ma y tur n on .
I f thi s happens , contac t you r
authorize d Hond a deale r fo r service .

Befor e Drivin g

Servic
e Statio n Procedure s

Fillin g th e Fue l Tan k
1 . Becaus e th e fue l fil l ca p is o n th e
driver' s sid e o f th e car , par k wit h
tha t sid e closes t t o th e servic e

statio n pumps .

2 . Ope n th e fue l fil l doo r b y pullin g
o n th e handl e t o th e lef t o f th e
driver' s seat . 3
. Remov e th e fue l fil l ca p slowly .
Yo u ma y hea r a hissin g soun d a s
pressur e insid e th e tan k escapes .
4 . Sto p fillin g th e tan k afte r th e fue l
nozzl e automaticall y click s off . D o
no t tr y t o "to p off " th e tank , leav e
som e roo m fo r th e fue l t o expan d
wit h temperatur e changes .
You r ca r ha s a n on-boar d refuelin g
vapo r recover y syste m to hel p
kee p fue l vapor s fro m goin g int o
th e atmosphere . I f th e fue l pum p
keep s clickin g of f eve n thoug h th e
tan k is no t full , ther e ma y b e a
proble m wit h thi s system . Consul t
you r dealer .

CONTINUED

Befor e Drivin g

Gasolin
e is highl y flammabl e
an d explosive . Yo u ca n b e
burne d o r seriousl y injure d
whe n handlin g fuel .
Sto p th e engin e an d kee p
heat , sparks , an d flam e away .
Handl e fue l onl y outdoors .
Wip e u p spill s immediately .
FUE L FIL L CA P

Servic
e Statio n Procedure s

5 . Scre w th e fue l fil l ca p bac k on ,
tighte n it unti l i t click s a t leas t
thre e times . I f yo u d o no t properl y
tighte n th e cap , th e Malfunctio n
Indicato r Lam p ma y com e o n (se e
pag e 251 ).
6 . Pus h th e fue l fil l doo r close d unti l
i t latches . Openin
g th e Hoo d

HOOD

RELEAS E
HANDL E
1 . Shif t t o Par k o r Neutra l an d se t
th e parkin g brake . Pul l th e hoo d
releas e handl e locate d unde r th e
lowe r lef t corne r o f th e dashboard .
Th e hoo d wil l po p u p slightly .
LATC
H

2 . Standin g in fron t o f th e car , pu t
you r finger s unde r th e fron t edg e
o f th e hoo d t o th e righ t o f center .
Slid e you r han d t o th e lef t unti l
yo u fee l th e hoo d latc h handle .
Pus h thi s handl e u p unti l i t
release s th e hood . Lif t th e hood .

Befor e Drivin g

Servic
e Statio n Procedure s

I f yo u ca n ope n th e hoo d withou t
liftin g th e hoo d latc h handle , o r th e
hoo d latc h handl e move s stiffl y o r
doe s no t sprin g bac k a s before , th e
mechanis m shoul d b e cleane d an d
lubricate d (se e pag e 202 ). SUPPOR
T RO D

CLI P

3 . Pul l th e suppor t ro d ou t o f it s cli p
an d inser t th e en d int o th e hol e o n
th e lef t sid e o f th e hood .
T o clos e th e hood , lif t i t u p slightl y t o
remov e th e suppor t ro d fro m th e
hole . Pu t th e suppor t ro d bac k int o
it s holdin g clip . Lowe r th e hoo d t o
abou t a foo t (3 0 cm ) abov e th e
fender , the n le t i t drop . Afte
r closin g th e hood , mak e sur e it
i s securel y latched .

CONTINUED

Befor e Drivin g

Servic
e Statio n Procedure s

Oil Check
Chec k th e engin e oi l leve l ever y tim e
yo u fil l th e ca r wit h fuel . Wai t a fe w
minute s afte r turnin g th e engin e of f
befor e yo u chec k th e oil .
1 . Remov e th e dipstic k (orang e

handle) .
2
. Wip e th e dipstic k wit h a clea n

clot h o r pape r towel .
3
. Inser t i t al l th e wa y bac k in it s tube .
Befor e Drivin g

DIPSTIC
K

Servic
e Statio n Procedure s

UPPE R MAR K
LOWE R MAR K

4 . Remov e th e dipstic k agai n an d
chec k th e level . I t shoul d b e
betwee n th e uppe r an d lowe r
marks .
I f i t i s nea r o r belo w th e lowe r mark ,
se e Addin g Oi l o n pag e 187 .
Engine Coolant Check

RESERVE

TAN K

Loo k a t th e coolan t leve l i n th e
radiato r reserv e tank . Mak e sur e it i s
betwee n th e MA X an d MI N lines . I f
i t i s belo w th e MI N line , se e Addin g
Engin e Coolan t o n pag e 19 1 fo r
informatio n o n addin g th e prope r

coolant .
Refe
r t o Owne r Maintenanc e
Check s o n pag e 18 5 fo r informatio n
o n checkin g othe r item s i n you r

Honda .

Before Drivin g

MA
X
MI N

Fue
l Econom y

Th e conditio n o f you r ca r an d you r
drivin g habit s ar e th e tw o mos t
importan t thing s tha t affec t th e fue l
mileag e yo u get .
Vehicl e Conditio n
Alway s maintai n you r ca r accordin g
t o th e maintenanc e schedule . Thi s
wil l kee p it i n to p operatin g condition .
A n importan t par t o f tha t mainte -
nanc e is th e Owne r Maintenanc e
Check s (se e pag e 185 ). Fo r
example , a n underinflate d tir e
cause s mor e "rollin g resistance, "
whic h use s fuel . I t als o wear s ou t
faster , s o chec k th e tir e pressur e a t
leas t monthly .
I n winter , th e build-u p o f sno w o n
you r car' s undersid e add s weigh t an d
rollin g resistance . Frequen t cleanin g
help s you r fue l mileag e an d reduce s
th e chanc e o f corrosion . Drivin
g Habit s
Yo u ca n improv e fue l econom y b y
drivin g moderately . Rapi d acceler -
ation , abrup t cornering , an d har d
brakin g us e mor e fuel .
Alway s driv e i n th e highes t gea r tha t
allow s th e engin e t o ru n an d acceler -
at e smoothly .
Dependin g o n traffi c conditions , tr y
t o maintai n a constan t speed . Ever y
tim e yo u slo w dow n an d spee d up ,
you r ca r use s extr a fuel . Us e th e
cruis e control , whe n appropriate , t o
increas e fue l economy . A
col d engin e use s mor e fue l tha n a
war m engine . I t i s no t necessar y t o
"warm-up " a col d engin e b y lettin g it
idl e fo r a lon g time . Yo u ca n driv e
awa y i n abou t a minute , n o matte r
ho w col d it i s outside . Th e engin e
wil l war m u p faster , an d yo u ge t
bette r fue l economy . T o cu t dow n o n
th e numbe r o f "col d starts, " tr y t o
combin e severa l shor t trip s int o one .
Th e ai r conditionin g put s a n extr a
loa d o n th e engin e whic h make s i t
us e mor e fuel . Tur n of f th e A/ C to
cu t dow n o n ai r conditionin g use .
Us e th e flow-throug h ventilatio n
whe n th e outsid e ai r temperatur e i s

moderate .

Befor e Drivin g

Accessorie
s an d Modification s

Modifyin g you r car , o r installin g
som e non-Hond a accessories , ca n
mak e you r ca r unsafe . Befor e yo u
mak e an y modification s o r ad d an y
accessories , b e sur e t o rea d th e
followin g information .

Accessorie s

You r deale r ha s Genuin e Hond a
accessorie s tha t allo w yo u t o
personaliz e you r car . Thes e
accessorie s hav e bee n designe d an d
approve d fo r you r car , an d ar e
covere d b y warranty .
Non-Hond a accessorie s ar e usuall y
designe d fo r universa l applications .
Althoug h aftermarke t accessorie s
ma y fi t o n you r car , the y ma y no t
mee t factor y specifications , an d
coul d adversel y affec t you r car' s
handlin g an d stability . (Se e
"Modifications " o n th e pag e 15 0 fo r
additiona l information. ) Whe
n properl y installed , cellula r
phones , alarms , two-wa y radios , an d
low-powere d audi o system s shoul d
no t interfer e wit h you r car' s
computer-controlle d systems , suc h
a s th e SR S an d anti-loc k brak e

system .

However , i f electroni c accessorie s
ar e improperl y installed , o r excee d
you r car' s electrica l syste m capacity ,
the y ca n interfer e wit h th e operatio no
f you r car , o r eve n caus e th e
airbag s t o deploy .
Befor e installin g an y accessory :
Mak e sur e th e accessor y doe s no t
obscure any lights , o r interfer e
wit h prope r ca r operatio n o r

performance .

B e sur e electroni c accessorie s d o
no t overloa d electrica l circuit s
(se e pag e 254 ). Hav
e th e installe r contac t you r
Hond a deale r fo r assistanc e befor e
installin g an y electroni c accessory .
I f possible , hav e you r deale r inspec t
th e fina l installation .

Befor e Drivin g

Imprope
r accessorie s o r
modification s ca n affec t you r
car' s handling , stabilit y an d
performance , an d caus e a

cras h i n whic h yo u ca n b e hur t

o r killed .
Follo w al l instruction s in thi s
owner' s manua l regardin g
accessorie s an d modifications .