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

Accessorie
s an d Modification s

Modification s
D o no t remov e an y origina l
equipmen t o r modif y you r ca r i n an y
wa y tha t woul d alte r it s desig n o r
operation . Thi s coul d mak e you r ca r
unsaf e an d illega l t o drive .
Fo r example , d o no t mak e an y
modification s tha t woul d chang e th e
rid e heigh t o f you r car , o r instal l
wheel s an d tire s wit h a differen t
overal l diameter .
Suc h modification s ca n adversel y
affec t handling , an d interfer e wit h
th e operatio n o f th e car' s anti-loc k
brake s an d othe r systems . I
n addition , an y modification s tha t
decreas e groun d clearanc e increas e
th e chanc e o f undercarriag e part s
strikin g a curb , spee d bump , o r othe r
raise d object , whic h coul d caus e
you r airbag s t o deploy .
D o no t modif y you r steerin g whee l
o r an y othe r par t o f you r
Supplementa l Restrain t System .
Modification s coul d mak e th e
syste m ineffective . Additiona
l Safet y Precautio n
D o no t attac h o r plac e object s o n th e
airba g covers . An y objec t attache d to
o r place d o n th e cover s marke d "SR S
AIRBAG, " i n th e cente r o f th e
steerin g whee l an d o n to p o f th e
dashboard , coul d interfer e wit h th e
prope r operatio n o f th e airbags . Or ,
i f th e airbag s inflate , th e object s
coul d b e propelle d insid e th e ca r an d
hur t someone .

Befor e Drivin g

Carryin
g Carg o

You r ca r ha s severa l convenien t
storag e area s s o yo u ca n sto w carg o

safely .

Th e glov e box , an d th e pocket s i n
th e fron t door s an d seat-back , ar e
designe d fo r small , lightweigh t items .
Th e trun k i s intende d fo r larger ,
heavie r items . I n addition , th e bac k
sea t ca n b e folde d dow n to allo w yo u
t o carr y mor e carg o o r longe r items .
However , carryin g to o muc h cargo ,
o r improperl y storin g it , ca n affec t
you r car' s handling , stabilit y an d
operatio n an d mak e it unsafe . Befor e
carryin g an y typ e o f cargo , b e sur e to
rea d th e followin g pages .

Befor e Drivin g

CONSOL
E COMPARTMENT *

FRONT DOO R POCKE T

TRUN K

SEAT-BACK POCKET *
GLOV
E BO X

* :
O n E X an d U.S . L X model s

Carryin
g Carg o

Loa d Limi t

Th e maximu m loa d fo r you r ca r i s

85 0
lbs
(395 kg) .

Thi s figur e include s th e tota l weigh t

o f all occupants , cargo , an d

accessories .

T o figur e ou t ho w muc h carg o yo u

ca n carry :

Ad d u p th e weigh t o f all occupants .
Subtrac
t th e tota l fro m 85 0 lb s

(39 5 kg) .

Th e fina l numbe r i s th e tota l weigh t

o f carg o yo u ca n carry .
Carryin
g Item s i n th e Passenge r
Compartmen t
Stor e o r secur e al l item s tha t coul d
b e throw n aroun d an d hur t
someon e durin g a crash .
D o no t pu t an y item s o n to p o f th e
rea r shelf . The y ca n bloc k you r
vie w an d b e throw n aroun d th e ca r
durin g a crash .
B e sur e item s place d o n th e floo r
behin d th e fron t seat s canno t rol l
unde r th e seat s an d interfer e wit h
th e driver' s abilit y t o operat e th e
pedals , o r wit h th e prope r
operatio n o f th e seats . Kee
p th e glov e bo x close d whil e
driving . I f th e li d is open , a
passenge r coul d injur e thei r knee s
durin g a cras h o r sudde n stop .

Befor e Drivin g
Overloadin
g o r imprope r
loadin g ca n affec t handlin g an d
stabilit y 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 loa d limit s an d othe r
loadin g guideline s i n thi s
manual .

Carryin
g Carg o

Carryin g Carg o i n th e Trun k o r o n
a Roo f Rac k
Distribut e carg o evenl y o n th e
floo r o f th e trunk , placin g th e
heavies t item s o n th e botto m an d
a s fa r forwar d a s possible .
I f yo u fol d dow n th e bac k seat , ti e
dow n item s tha t coul d b e throw n
abou t th e ca r durin g a cras h o r
sudde n stop . I
f yo u carr y larg e item s tha t
preven t yo u fro m closin g th e trun k
lid , exhaus t ga s ca n ente r th e
passenge r area . T o avoi d th e
possibilit y o f carbo n monoxid e
poisoning , follo w th e instruction s
o n pag e 4 9 . I
f yo u ca n carr y an y item s o n a
roo f rack , b e sur e th e tota l weigh t
o f th e rac k an d th e item s doe s no t
excee d th e maximu m allowabl e
weight . Pleas e contac t you r Hond a
deale r fo r furthe r information .

Before Drivin g

154

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

Preparin
g to Driv e

Yo u shoul d d o th e followin g check s
an d adjustment s ever y da y befor e
yo u driv e you r car .
1 . Mak e sur e al l windows , mirrors ,
an d outsid e light s ar e clea n an d
unobstructed . Remov e frost , snow ,
o r ice .
2 . Chec k tha t th e hoo d an d trun k ar e
full y closed .
3 . Visuall y chec k th e tires . I f a tir e
look s low , us e a gaug e to chec k it s

pressure .
4
. Chec k tha t an y item s yo u ma y b e
carryin g wit h yo u insid e ar e store d
properl y o r fastene d dow n

securely .

5 . Chec k th e adjustmen t o f th e sea t
(se e pag e 7 7 ).
6 . Chec k th e adjustmen t o f th e
insid e an d outsid e mirror s (se e
pag e 8 3 ).
7 . Chec k th e adjustmen t o f th e
steerin g whee l (se e pag e 65 ).
8 . Mak e sur e th e door s ar e securel y

close d an d locked .
9
. Faste n you r sea t belt . Chec k tha t
you r passenger s hav e fastene d
thei r sea t belt s (se e pag e 1 5 ) .
10.Tur n th e ignitio n switc h O N (II) .
Chec k th e indicato r light s i n th e
instrumen t panel .
11.Star t th e engin e (se e pag e 157 ).
12 . Chec k th e gauge s an d indicato r
light s i n th e instrumen t pane l (se e
pag e 53 ).

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