2000 HONDA CIVIC SEDAN Hazard

Protectin
g Childre n

Placing a Child Seat
Thi s pag e briefl y summarize s

Honda' s recommendation s o n wher e

t o plac e rear-facin g an d forward -

facin g chil d seat s in you r car . Front Passenger's Seat
Infants: Neve
r i n th e fron t seat , du e
t o th e passenger' s airba g hazard .

Small children: No t recommended ,

du e to th e passenger' s airba g
hazard . I f a smal l chil d mus t rid e
i n front , mov e th e vehicl e sea t t o
th e rear-mos t positio n an d secur e
a front-facin g chil d sea t wit h th e
sea t bel t (se e pag e 3 4 ) .

Back Seats

Infants: Recommende d
positions
.

Secur e a rear-facin g chil d sea t

wit h th e sea t bel t (se e pag e 3 0 ) .

Small children: Recommende d

positions . Secur e a front-facin g

chil d sea t wit h th e sea t bel t (se e

pag e 34 ).

CONTINUED

Drive r an d Passenge r Safet y
Airbag
s Pos e Seriou s
Risk s t o Childre n
Th e passenger' s airba g inflate s
wit h enoug h forc e t o kil l o r
seriousl y injur e a n infan t i n a
rear-facin g chil d seat .
A smal l chil d in a forward-facin g
chil d sea t i s als o a t risk . 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 kil l o r
seriousl y injur e th e child .
I f a smal l chil d mus t rid e i n th e
front , follo w th e instruction s
provide d in thi s section .

Protectin
g Childre n

Additional Precautions for Infants
Never hold an infant on your lap.

I f yo u ar e no t wearin g a sea t bel t
i n a crash , yo u coul d b e throw n
forwar d int o th e dashboar d an d
crus h th e infant .
I f yo u ar e wearin g a sea t belt , th e
infan t ca n b e tor n fro m you r arms .
Fo r example , i f you r ca r crashe s
int o a parke d vehicl e a t 3 0 mp h
(4 8 km/h) , a 20-l b ( 9 kg ) infan t
wil l becom e a 600-l b (27 5 kg ) force ,
an d yo u wil l no t b e abl e to hol d on .
Never put a seat belt over yourself

and an infant. Durin g a crash , th e
bel t coul d pres s dee p int o th e
infan t an d caus e ver y seriou s
injuries . Protectin
g Smal l Childre n
Child Seat Type
A chil d wh o ca n si t u p withou t
support , an d wh o fit s withi n th e chil d
sea t maker' s weigh t an d heigh t
limits , shoul d b e restraine d in a
forward-facing , uprigh t chil d seat .
O f th e differen t seat s available , w e
recommen d thos e tha t hav e a five -
poin t harnes s syste m as shown . W
e als o recommen d tha t a smal l
chil d sta y in th e chil d sea t a s lon g a s
possible , unti l th e chil d reache s th e
weigh t o r heigh t limi t fo r th e seat .
Child Seat Placement
I n thi s car , th e bes t plac e to instal l a
forward-facin g chil d sea t i s in on e o f
th e seatin g position s in th e bac k seat .

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 passenger' s airba g ca n
strik e th e chil d wit h enoug h forc e t o
caus e ver y seriou s o r fata l injuries . I f
a smal l chil d mus t b e closel y
watched , w e recommen d tha t
anothe r adul t si t i n th e bac k sea t
wit h th e child .

CONTINUED

Drive r an d Passenge r Safet y

Carbo
n Monoxid e Hazar d

You r car' s exhaus t contain s carbo n
monoxid e gas . Yo u shoul d hav e n o
proble m wit h carbo n monoxid e
enterin g th e ca r i n norma l drivin g if
yo u maintai n you r ca r properly .
Hav e th e exhaus t syste m inspecte d
fo r leak s whenever :
Th e ca r i s raise d fo r a n oi l change .
Yo u notic e a chang e in th e soun d
o f th e exhaust .
Th e ca r wa s i n a n acciden t tha t ma
y hav e damage d th e underside .


High level s o f carbo n monoxid e ca n
collec t rapidl y in enclose d areas ,
suc h a s a garage . D o no t ru n th e
engin e wit h th e garag e doo r closed .
Eve n wit h th e doo r open , ru n th e
engin e onl y lon g enoug h to mov e th e
vehicl e ou t o f th e garage . Wit
h th e trun k li d open , ai r flo w ca n
pul l exhaus t ga s int o you r car' s
interio r an d creat e a hazardou s
condition . I f yo u mus t driv e wit h th e
trun k li d open , ope n al l th e window s
an d se t th e heatin g an d coolin g
syste m as show n below .
I f yo u mus t si t i n you r parke d car ,
eve n in a n unconfine d area , wit h th e
engin e running , adjus t th e heatin g
an d coolin g syste m as follows :
1 . Selec t th e Fres h Ai r mode . 2
. Selec t th e mode .
3 . Tur n th e fa n o n hig h speed .
4 . Se t th e temperatur e contro l t o a
comfortabl e setting .

Drive r an d Passenge r Safet y

Carbo
n monoxid e ga s i s toxic .
Breathin g it ca n caus e
unconsciousnes s an d eve n kil l
you .
Avoi d an y enclose d area s o r
activitie s tha t expos e yo u t o
carbo n monoxide .

Safet
y Label s

Thes e label s ar e in th e location s
shown . The y war n yo u o f potentia l
hazard s tha t coul d caus e seriou s
injury . Rea d thes e label s carefully .
I f a labe l come s of f o r become s har d
t o read , contac t you r Hond a deale r
fo r a replacement .
DASHBOAR
D

U.S. models only

Drive r an d Passenge r Safet y
HOO
D

RADIATO R CA P
SU
N VISO R

Canadian models U.S. models

Control
s Nea r th e Steerin g Whee l

Th e tw o lever s o n th e steerin g
colum n contai n control s fo r drivin g
feature s yo u us e mos t often . Th e lef t
leve r control s th e tur n signals ,
headlights , an d hig h beams . Th e
righ t leve r control s th e windshiel d
washer s an d wipers .
Th e hazard warnin g light s switc h is
o n th e dashboar d t o th e lef t o f th e
cente r ai r vents .
Th e control s unde r th e lef t ai r ven t
ar e fo r th e moonroof , mirrors , cruis e
contro l an d instrumen t pane l
brightness .
Th e til t adjustmen t leve r o n th e
undersid e o f th e steerin g colum n
allow s yo u t o til t th e steerin g wheel .

Instrument s an d Control s
MOONROO
F

CRUIS
E CONTRO LINSTRUMEN T PANE L
BRIGHTNES S HAZAR
D WARNIN G
LIGHT S

REA R

WINDO W

DEFOGGE R

WINDSHIEL D
WIPERS/WASHER S
HOR N
BUTTON S

TIL
T ADJUSTMEN T

HEADLIGHTS
/
TUR N SIGNAL S
MIRRO
R
CONTROL S

Control
s Nea r th e Steerin g Whee l

Hazar d Warnin g
Pus h th e re d butto n to th e lef t o f th e
cente r vent s t o tur n o n th e hazard
warnin g light s (four-wa y flashers) .
Thi s cause s al l fou r outsid e tur n
signal s an d bot h indicator s in th e
instrumen t pane l t o flash . Us e th e
hazar d warnin g light s i f yo u nee d t o
par k in a dangerou s are a nea r heav y
traffic , o r i f you r ca r i s disabled . Rea
r Windo w Defogge r
Th e rea r windo w defogge r wil l clea r
fog , frost , an d thi n ic e fro m th e
window . Pus h th e defogge r butto n t o
tur n it o n an d off . Th e ligh t i n th e
butto n light s t o sho w th e defogge r i s
on . I f yo u d o no t tur n it off , th e
defogge r wil l shu t itsel f of f afte r
abou t 2 5 minutes . I t als o shut s of f
whe n yo u tur n of f th e ignition . Yo u
hav e t o tur n it o n agai n whe n yo u
restar t th e car . Mak
e sur e th e rea r windo w is clea r
an d yo u hav e goo d visibilit y befor e
startin g to drive .
Th e defogge r an d antenn a wire s o n
th e insid e o f th e rea r windo w ca n b e
accidentall y damaged . Whe n
cleanin g th e glass , alway s wip e sid e
t o side .

Instrument s an d Control s

Foldin
g Rea r Seat , Powe r Window s
D o no t pu t an y heav y item s o n th e
seat-bac k whe n it i s folded .
Mak e sur e al l item s i n th e trunk , o r
item s extendin g throug h th e openin g
int o th e bac k seat , ar e secured .
Loos e item s ca n fl y forwar d an d
caus e injur y i f yo u hav e t o brak e
hard . Se e Carryin g Carg o o n pag e

151 .

Neve r driv e wit h th e seat-bac k
folde d dow n an d th e trun k li d open .
Se e Carbo n Monoxid e Hazard o n
pag e 49 .

On LX and EX models in the U.S., and
EX model in Canada

You r car' s window s ar e electrically -
powered . Tur n th e ignitio n switc h t o
O N (II ) t o rais e o r lowe r an y window .
Eac h doo r ha s a switc h tha t control s
it s window . T o ope n th e window ,
pus h th e switc h dow n an d hol d it .
Releas e th e switc h whe n yo u wan t
th e windo w to stop . Clos e th e
windo w b y pullin g bac k o n th e switc
h an d holdin g it .
Th e driver' s doo r armres t ha s a
maste r powe r windo w contro l panel .
T o ope n an y o f th e passengers ' win -
dows , pus h dow n o n th e appropriat e
switc h an d hol d it dow n unti l th e
windo w reache s th e desire d position .
T o clos e th e window , pul l bac k o n
th e windo w switch . Releas e th e
switc h whe n th e windo w get s t o th e
positio n yo u want .

CONTINUED
Instrument s an d Control s

Powe
r Window s

DRIVER' S WINDO W SWITC H
MAI N SWITC H

Closing a powe r windo w o n
someone' s hand s o r finger s ca n
caus e seriou s injury .
Mak e sur e you r passenger s ar e
awa y fro m th e window s befor e
closin g them .

Th
e Brakin g Syste m

Brak e Syste m Desig n
Th e hydrauli c syste m tha t operate s
th e brake s ha s tw o separat e circuits .
Eac h circui t work s diagonall y acros s
th e vehicl e (th e left-fron t brak e is
connecte d wit h th e right-rea r brake ,
etc.) . I f on e circui t shoul d develo p a
problem , yo u wil l stil l hav e brakin g
a t tw o wheels .
Anti-loc
k Brake s

Th e U.S . E X mode l ha s a n Anti-loc k
Brak e Syste m (ABS ) a s standar d
equipment . I t i s optiona l o n Canadia n
E X model .
AB S help s t o preven t th e wheel s
fro m lockin g u p an d skiddin g durin g
har d braking , allowin g yo u t o retai n
steerin g control .
Whe n th e fron t tire s skid , yo u los e
steerin g control ; th e ca r continue s
straigh t ahea d eve n thoug h yo u tur n
th e steerin g wheel . Th e AB S help s t o
preven t lock-u p an d help s yo u retai n
steerin g contro l b y pumpin g th e
brake s rapidly ; muc h faste r tha n a
perso n ca n d o it . Yo
u shoul d neve r pum p th e
brak e pedal , thi s defeat s th e
purpos e o f th e ABS . Le t th e AB S
wor k fo r yo u b y alway s keepin g firm ,
stead y pressur e o n th e brak e peda l
a s yo u stee r awa y fro m th e hazard .
Thi s i s sometime s referre d t o a s

"stomp and steer."

Yo u wil l fee l a pulsatio n in th e brak e
peda l whe n th e AB S activates , an d
yo u ma y hea r som e noise . Thi s i s
normal , i t i s th e AB S rapidl y
pumpin g th e brakes .

CONTINUED

Fron
t

Driving