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

Batter
y
I f th e terminal s ar e severel y cor -
roded , clea n the m wit h bakin g sod a
an d water . The n us e a wrenc h to
loose n an d remov e th e cable s fro m
th e terminals . Alway s disconnec t th e
negativ e (— ) cabl e firs t an d recon -
nec t i t last . Clea n th e batter y termi -
nal s wit h a termina l cleanin g too l o r
wir e brush . Reconnec t an d tighte n
th e cables , the n coa t th e terminal s
wit h grease . I
f yo u nee d t o connec t th e batter y t o
a charger , disconnec t bot h cable s t o
preven t damag e t o th e car' s
electrica l system .
Charging the battery with the cables
connected can seriously damage your

car's electronic controls. Detach the

battery cables before connecting the
battery to a charger.

On U.S. DX Value Package and EX

models

I f you r car' s batter y i s disconnecte d
o r goe s dead , th e audi o syste m wil l
disabl e itself . Th e nex t tim e yo u tur n o
n th e radi o yo u wil l se e " "
i n th e frequenc y display . Us e th e
Prese t button s t o ente r th e five-digi t
cod e (se e pag e 13 9 ) .

Maintenanc e
Th
e batter y give s of f explosiv e
hydroge n ga s durin g norma l
operation .
A spar k o r flam e ca n caus e th e
batter y t o explod e wit h enoug h
forc e t o kil l o r seriousl y hur t you .
Wea r protectiv e clothin g an d a
fac e shield , o r hav e a skille d
mechani c d o th e batter y
maintenance .
NOTIC
E

Wipe
r Blade s
Chec k th e conditio n o f th e wipe r
blade s a t leas t ever y si x months .
Loo k fo r sign s o f crackin g in th e
rubber , o r area s tha t ar e gettin g
hard . Replac e th e blade s i f yo u fin d
thes e signs , o r the y leav e streak s
an d unwipe d area s whe n used .
To replac e th e blade :
1 . Rais e th e wipe r ar m of f th e
windshield . 2
. Disconnec t th e blad e assembl y
fro m th e wipe r ar m b y pushin g in
th e loc k tab . Hol d i t i n whil e yo u
pus h th e blad e assembl y towar d
th e bas e o f th e arm .

CONTINUED

Maintenanc e

WIPE
R ARM S
LOCK TA B

Wipe
r Blade s

3 . Remov e th e blad e fro m its holde r
b y graspin g th e tabbe d en d o f th e
blade . Pul l firml y unti l th e tab s
com e ou t o f th e holder . 4
. Examin e th e ne w wipe r blades . I f
the y hav e n o plasti c o r meta l rein -
forcemen t alon g th e bac k edge ,
remov e th e meta l reinforcemen t
strip s fro m th e ol d wipe r blad e an d
instal l the m in th e slot s alon g th e
edg e o f th e ne w blade . 5
. Slid e th e ne w wipe r blad e int o th e
holde r unti l th e tab s lock .
6 . Slid e th e wipe r blad e assembl y
ont o th e wipe r arm . Mak e sur e i t
lock s i n place .
7 . Lowe r th e wipe r ar m dow n agains t
th e windshield .

Maintenanc e
BLAD
E
BLADE

REINFORCEMEN T

Ai
r Conditionin g Syste m

Optional for U.S. DX, and Canadian LX,
EX models
You r car' s ai r conditionin g is a seale d
system . An y majo r maintenance ,
suc h a s recharging , shoul d b e don e
b y a qualifie d mechanic . Yo u ca n d o
a coupl e o f thing s t o mak e sur e th e
ai r conditionin g work s efficiently .
AI R CONDITIONIN G
CONDENSE R Periodicall
y chec k th e engine' s
radiato r an d ai r conditionin g
condense r fo r leaves , insects , an d
dir t stuc k t o th e fron t surface . Thes e
bloc k th e ai r flo w an d reduc e coolin g
efficiency . Us e a ligh t spra y fro m a
hos e o r a sof t brus h to remov e them .

The condenser and radiator fins bend
easily. Only use a low-pressure spray or soft-bristle brush to clean them.

Ru n th e ai r conditionin g a t leas t onc e
a wee k durin g th e col d weathe r
months . Ru n it fo r a t leas t te n
minute s whil e yo u ar e drivin g a t a
stead y spee d wit h th e engin e a t
norma l operatin g temperature . Thi s
circulate s th e lubricatin g oi l con -
taine d in th e refrigerant . I
f th e ai r conditionin g doe s no t ge t a s
col d a s before , hav e you r deale r
chec k th e system . Recharg e th e
syste m wit h Refrigeran t HFC-134 a
(R-134a) . (Se e Specification s o n pag e
265 .)

Whenever you have the air conditioning

system serviced, make sure the service

facility uses a refrigerant recycling
system. This system captures the
refrigerant for reuse. Releasing
refrigerant into the atmosphere can

damage the environment.

Maintenance

NOTIC
E
NOTIC E

Driv
e Belts , Timin g Bel t

The belt s shoul d hav e th e followin g

"play " o r deflection .

Alternato r belt :

0.3 1 — 0.4 1 in (8. 0 — 10. 5 mm )
Powe r steerin g belt :

0.4 1 — 0.5 5 in (10.5—14. 0 mm )

On cars with Air Conditioning System

Compresso r belt :
0.3 0 — 0.3 7 in (7. 5 — 9.5 mm )
I f yo u se e sign s o f wea r o r looseness ,
hav e you r deale r adjus t o r replac e
th e belts .
Timin
g Bel t

Th e timin g bel t shoul d normall y b e
replace d a t th e interval s show n in
th e maintenanc e schedule .
Replac e thi s bel t a t 60,00 0 mile s (U.S. )
o r 100,00 0 k m (Canada ) i f yo u
regularl y driv e you r ca r i n on e o r
mor e o f thes e conditions :
I n ver y hig h temperature s

(ove r 110°F,43°C) .
I
n ver y lo w temperature s

(under—20°F,—29°C) .

Maintenanc e

Driv
e Belt s
POWE R STEERIN G

BEL T
ALTERNATO
R

BEL T

COMPRESSO R BEL T
Chec k th e conditio n o f th e tw o o r
thre e driv e belts . Examin e th e edge s
o f eac h bel t fo r crack s o r fraying .
Chec k th e tensio n o f eac h bel t b y
pushin g o n i t wit h you r thum b
midwa y betwee n th e pulleys .

Tire
s

T o safel y operat e you r car , you r tire s
mus t b e th e prope r typ e an d size , i n

goo d conditio n wit h adequat e tread ,

an d correctl y inflated . Th e followin g

page s giv e mor e detaile d informatio n
o n ho w an d whe n to chec k ai r
pressure , ho w to inspec t you r tire s
fo r damag e an d wear , an d wha t t o d o
whe n you r tire s nee d to b e replaced .
Inflatio
n

Keepin g th e tire s properl y inflate d
provide s th e bes t combinatio n o f
handling , trea d lif e an d ridin g
comfort . Underinflate d tire s wea r
unevenly , adversel y affec t handlin g
an d fue l economy , an d ar e mor e
likel y t o fai l fro m bein g overheated .
Overinflate d tire s ca n mak e you r ca r
rid e mor e harshly , ar e mor e pron e t o
damag e fro m roa d hazards , an d wea r

unevenly .

W e recommen d tha t yo u visuall y
chec k you r tire s ever y day . I f yo u
thin k a tir e migh t b e low , chec k i t
immediatel y wit h a tir e gauge .
Us e a gaug e to measur e th e ai r
pressur e a t leas t onc e a month . Eve n
tire s tha t ar e in goo d conditio n ma y
los e on e to tw o ps i (1 0 to 2 0 kPa , 0. 1
t o 0. 2 kgf/cm 2) pe r month .
Remembe r t o chec k th e spar e tir e a t
th e sam e tim e yo u chec k al l th e
othe r tires . Chec
k th e pressur e in th e tire s whe n
the y ar e cold . Thi s mean s th e ca r
ha s bee n parke d fo r a t leas t thre e
hours . I f yo u hav e to driv e th e ca r
befor e checkin g th e tir e pressure ,
th e tire s ca n stil l b e considere d
"cold " i f yo u driv e les s tha n 1 mil e

(1.6km) .

I f yo u chec k th e pressur e whe n th e
tire s ar e ho t (th e ca r ha s bee n drive n
severa l miles) , yo u wil l se e reading s
4 to 6 ps i (3 0 to 4 0
kPa ,
0. 3 to 0. 4
kgf/cm 2) highe r tha n th e col d
reading . Thi s is normal . D o no t le t
ai r ou t t o matc h th e specifie d col d
pressure . Th e tir e wil l b e

underinflated .

CONTINUED

Maintenanc e

Usin
g tire s tha t ar e excessivel y
wor n o r improperl y inflate d ca n
caus e a cras h i n whic h yo u ca n
b e seriousl y hur t o r killed .
Follo w al l instruction s i n thi s
owner' s manua l regardin g tir e
inflatio n an d maintenance .

Tire
s

Yo u shoul d ge t you r ow n tir e
pressur e gaug e an d us e it wheneve r
yo u chec k you r tir e pressures . Thi s
wil l mak e i t easie r fo r yo u t o tel l i f a
pressur e los s i s du e t o a tir e proble m
an d no t du e to a variatio n betwee n

gauges .

Recommended Tire Pressures for
Normal Driving

Th e followin g char t show s th e
recommende d col d tir e pressure s fo r
mos t norma l drivin g condition s an d

speeds .
Th
e compac t spar e tir e pressur e is :
6 0 ps i (42 0 kP a , 4. 2 kgf/cm 2)
Thes e pressure s ar e als o give n o n
th e tir e informatio n labe l o n th e
driver' s doorjamb .
Tubeles s tire s hav e som e abilit y t o
self-sea l i f the y ar e punctured .
However , becaus e leakag e is ofte n
ver y slow , yo u shoul d loo k closel y
fo r puncture s i f a tir e start s losin g
pressure .
Tire Pressure Adjustment for High
Speed Driving

Hond a strongl y recommend s tha t
yo u no t driv e faste r tha n poste d
spee d limit s an d condition s allow . I f
yo u decid e it i s saf e t o driv e a t hig h
speeds , b e sur e t o adjus t th e col d tir e
pressure s a s show n below . I f yo u d o
no t adjus t th e tir e pressure , exces -
siv e hea t ca n buil d u p an d caus e
sudden tire failure .

Maintenanc e

Tire
s

Inspectio n
Ever y tim e yo u chec k inflation , yo u
shoul d als o examin e th e tire s fo r
damage , foreig n objects , an d wear .
Yo u shoul d loo k for :
Bump s o r bulge s i n th e trea d o r
sid e o f th e tire . Replac e th e tir e if
yo u fin d eithe r o f thes e conditions .
Cuts , splits , o r crack s in th e sid e
o f th e tire . Replac e th e tir e if yo u
ca n se e fabri c o r cord . Excessiv
e trea d wear . INDICATO
R LOCATIO N MARK S
TREA D WEA R INDICATO R
You r car' s tire s hav e wea r indicator s
molde d int o th e tread . Whe n th e
trea d wear s dow n t o tha t point , yo u
wil l se e a 1/ 2 inc h (12. 7 mm ) wid e
ban d runnin g acros s th e tread . Thi s
show s ther e is les s tha n 1/1 6 inc h
(1. 6 mm ) o f trea d lef t o n th e tire . A
tir e tha t i s thi s wor n give s ver y littl e
tractio n o n we t roads . Yo u shoul d
replac e th e tir e if yo u ca n se e th e
trea d wea r indicato r i n thre e o r mor e
place s aroun d th e tire . Maintenanc
e
I n additio n t o prope r inflation ,
correc t whee l alignmen t help s t o
decreas e tir e wear . I f yo u fin d a tir e
i s wor n unevenly , hav e you r deale r
chec k th e whee l alignment .
Th e tire s wer e properl y balance d b y
th e factory . The y ma y nee d t o b e
rebalance d a t som e tim e befor e the y
ar e wor n out . Hav e you r deale r
chec k th e tire s i f yo u fee l a consis -
ten t vibratio n whil e driving . A tir e
shoul d alway s b e rebalance d i f i t i s
remove d fro m th e whee l fo r repair .

CONTINUED

Maintenanc e