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

Protectin
g Adult s

A fron t passenge r shoul d als o adjus t
th e seat-bac k t o a n uprigh t position ,
bu t a s fa r fro m th e dashboar d a s
possible . A passenge r wh o sit s to o
clos e to th e dashboar d coul d b e
injure d if th e airba g inflates .
Reclinin g a seat-bac k s o tha t th e
shoulder part o f th e bel t n o longe r
rest s agains t th e occupant' s ches t
reduce s th e protectiv e capabilit y o f
th e belt . I t als o increase s th e chanc e
o f slidin g unde r th e bel t i n a cras h
an d bein g seriousl y injured . Th e
farthe r a seat-bac k is reclined , th e
greate r th e ris k o f injury . Se
e pag e 7 7 fo r ho w to adjus t seat -

backs .
4.Adjus
t th e Hea d Restraint s
Befor e driving , mak e sur e everyon e
wit h a n adjustabl e hea d restrain t ha s
properl y positione d th e hea d
restraint . Th e restrain t shoul d b e
positione d s o th e bac k o f th e
occupant' s hea d rest s agains t th e
cente r o f th e restraint . A talle r
perso n shoul d adjus t th e restrain t a s
hig h a s possible .

Drive r an d Passenge r Safet y
Reclinin
g th e seat-bac k to o fa r
ca n resul t i n seriou s injur y o r
deat h in a crash .
Adjus t th e seat-bac k t o a n

uprigh t positio n an d si t wel l

bac k in th e seat .

Protectin
g Adult s
Properl y adjuste d hea d restraint s
wil l hel p protec t occupant s fro m
whiplas h an d othe r cras h injuries .
Se e pag e 7 9 fo r ho w to adjus t th e
hea d restraints . 5.Faste
n an d Positio n th e Sea t
Belt s

Using a Lap/Shoulder Belt

Inser t th e latc h plat e int o th e buckle ,
the n tu g o n th e bel t t o mak e sur e th e
bel t i s securel y latched . Als o chec k
tha t th e bel t i s no t twisted , becaus e a
twiste d bel t ca n caus e seriou s
injurie s in a crash .
Position th e la p par t o f th e bel t a s
lo w a s possibl e acros s you r hips ,
the n pul l u p o n th e shoulde r par t o f
th e bel t s o th e la p par t fit s snugly .
Thi s let s you r stron g pelvi c bone s
tak e th e forc e o f a cras h an d reduce s
th e chanc e o f interna l injuries .

CONTINUED

Drive r an d Passenge r Safet y

Improperl
y positionin g hea d
restraint s reduce s thei r
effectivenes s an d yo u ca n b e
seriousl y injure d in a crash .
Mak e sur e hea d restraint s ar e
i n plac e an d positione d properl y
befor e driving .

Protectin
g Adult s
I f necessary , pul l u p o n th e bel t agai n
t o remov e an y slac k fro m th e
shoulde r part , the n chec k tha t th e
bel t rest s acros s th e cente r o f you r
ches t an d ove r you r shoulder . Thi s
spread s th e force s o f a cras h ove r
th e stronges t bone s i n you r uppe r
body .
If th e sea t bel t touche s o r crosse s
you r neck , o r i f i t crosse s you r ar m
instea d o f you r shoulder , yo u nee d to
adjus t th e sea t bel t ancho r height .T
o adjus t th e heigh t o f a fron t sea t
bel t anchor , squeez e th e tw o releas e
button s an d slid e th e ancho r u p o r
dow n a s neede d (i t ha s fou r
positions) .

Never place the shoulder portion of a lap/shoulder belt under your arm orbehind your back. Thi s coul d caus e

ver y seriou s injurie s i n a crash .

Drive r an d Passenge r Safet y

Improperl
y positionin g th e sea t
belt s ca n caus e seriou s injur y
o r deat h in a crash .
Mak e sur e al l sea t belt s ar e
properl y positione d befor e

driving .

Protectin
g Adult s

Using the Lap Belt
Inser t th e latc h plat e int o th e buckl e
marke d CENTER .
I f th e bel t i s to o short , hol d th e latc h
plat e a t a righ t angl e an d pul l o n th e
plat e to exten d th e belt . The n inser t
th e latc h plat e int o th e buckle , an d
tu g o n th e bel t t o mak e sur e th e bel t
i s securel y latched . Positio
n th e bel t a s lo w a s possibl e
acros s you r hips . Thi s let s you r
stron g pelvi c bone s tak e th e forc e o f
a cras h an d reduce s th e chanc e o f
interna l injuries .
Pul l o n th e loos e en d o f th e bel t fo r a
snu g bu t comfortabl e fit .
If a Seat Belt Doesn't Work Properly

I f a sea t bel t doe s no t see m to wor k
a s it should , i t ma y no t protec t th e

occupan t i n a crash . No one should

sit in a seat with an inoperative seat

belt. Anyon e usin g a sea t bel t tha t i s
no t workin g properl y ca n b e
seriousl y injure d o r killed . Hav e you r
Hond a deale r chec k th e bel t a s soo n
a s possible .
Se e pag e 4 2 fo r additiona l
informatio n abou t you r sea t bel t
syste m an d ho w to tak e car e o f you r
belts .

Drive r an d Passenge r Safet y

Protectin
g Adult s

6.Adjus t th e Steerin g Whee l
Adjus t th e steerin g wheel , i f needed ,
s o tha t th e whee l point s towar d you r
chest , no t towar d you r face .

Pointin g th e steerin g whee l towar d

you r ches t provide s optima l
protectio n fro m th e airbag .
Se e pag e 6 5 fo r ho w to adjus t th e

steerin g wheel .
7.Maintai
n a Prope r Sittin g
Positio n
Afte r al l occupant s hav e adjuste d
thei r seat s an d pu t o n sea t belts , i t i s
ver y importan t tha t the y continu e t o
si t upright , wel l bac k in thei r seats ,
wit h thei r fee t o n th e floor , unti l th e
ca r i s parke d an d th e engin e is off .
Sittin g improperl y ca n increas e th e
chanc e o f injur y durin g a crash . Fo r
example , i f a n occupan t slouches ,
lie s down , turn s sideways , sit s
forward , lean s forwar d o r sideways ,
o r put s on e o r bot h fee t up , th e
chanc e o f injur y durin g a cras h is
greatl y increased .
I n addition , a n occupan t wh o is ou t o f
positio n in th e fron t sea t ca n b e
seriousl y o r fatall y injure d b y
strikin g interio r part s o f th e car , o r
b y bein g struc k b y a n inflatin g airbag .Remember
, t o ge t th e bes t
protectio n fro m you r car' s airbag s
an d othe r safet y features , yo u mus t
si t properl y an d wea r you r sea t bel t
properly .

Drive r an d Passenge r Safet y
Sittin
g improperl y o r ou t o f
positio n ca n resul t i n seriou s
injur y o r deat h in a crash .
Alway s si t upright , wel l bac k in
th e seat , wit h you r fee t o n th e

floor .

Protectin
g Adult s

Advic e fo r Pregnan t Wome n
Becaus e protectin g th e mothe r i s th e
bes t wa y t o protec t he r unbor n child ,
a pregnan t woma n shoul d alway s
wea r a sea t bel t wheneve r sh e drive s
o r ride s in a vehicle .
W e recommen d tha t pregnan t
wome n us e a lap/shoulde r bel t
wheneve r possible . Remembe r t o
kee p th e la p portio n o f th e bel t a s
lo w a s possibl e acros s you r hips . Pregnan
t wome n shoul d als o si t
uprigh t an d a s fa r bac k a s possibl e
fro m th e steerin g whee l o r
dashboard . Thi s wil l reduc e th e ris k
o f injurie s t o bot h th e mothe r an d
he r unbor n chil d tha t ca n b e cause d
b y a cras h o r a n inflatin g airbag .
Eac h tim e yo u hav e a check-up , as k
you r docto r i f it' s oka y fo r yo u t o

drive .
Additiona
l Safet y Precaution s
Two people should never use the

same seat belt. I f the y do , the y

coul d b e ver y seriousl y injure d in a

crash .
Do not put any accessories on seat

belts. Device s intende d to improve
occupan t comfor t o r repositio n th e
shoulde r par t o f a sea t bel t ca n
severel y compromis e th e
protectiv e capabilit y o f th e sea t
bel t an d increas e th e chanc e o f
seriou s injur y in a crash .

CONTINUED

Drive r an d Passenge r Safet y

Protectin
g Adult s
Do not place hard or sharp objects
between yourself and an airbag.

Carryin g har d o r shar p object s o n
you r lap , o r drivin g wit h a pip e o r
othe r shar p objec t i n you r mouth ,
ca n resul t i n injurie s i f you r
airbag s inflate .
Do not attach or place objects on
the airbag 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 .
Keep your hands and arms away
from the airbag covers. If you r
hand s o r arm s ar e clos e t o th e SR S
cover s 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 , the y coul d b e injure d if
th e airbag s inflate .
Drive r an d Passenge r Safet y

Protectin
g Childre n
Childre n depen d o n adult s t o protec t
them . However , despit e thei r bes t
intentions , man y parent s an d othe r
adult s ma y no t kno w ho w to properly
protec t youn g passengers .
S o if yo u hav e children , o r i f yo u eve r
nee d to driv e wit h a grandchil d o r
othe r childre n in you r car , b e sur e t o
rea d thi s section . Al
l Childre n Mus t B e Restraine d
Eac h year , man y childre n ar e injure d
o r kille d i n vehicl e crashe s becaus e
the y ar e eithe r unrestraine d o r no t
properl y restrained . I n fact , vehicl e
accident s ar e th e numbe r on e caus e
o f deat h o f childre n age s 1 2 an d
under .
T o reduc e th e numbe r o f chil d
death s an d injuries , ever y stat e an d
Canadia n provinc e require s tha t
infant s an d childre n b e restraine d
wheneve r the y rid e i n a vehicle .

Any child who is too small to wear a seat belt should be properly

restrained in a child seat. (Se e pag e

25 .)
A larger child should always be
restrained with a seat belt. (Se e pag e

37 .)

Drive r an d Passenge r Safet y

Childre
n wh o ar e unrestraine d
o r improperl y restraine d ca n b e
seriousl y injure d o r kille d in a
crash .
An y chil d to o smal l fo r a sea t
bel t shoul d b e properl y
restraine d in a chil d seat . A
large r chil d shoul d b e properl y
restraine d wit h a sea t belt .