2000 HONDA CIVIC SEDAN airbag

Protectin
g Childre n
I f i t i s necessar y t o pu t a forward -
facin g chil d sea t i n th e front , mov e
th e vehicl e sea t a s fa r t o th e rea r a s
possible , b e sur e th e chil d sea t i s
firml y secure d to th e car , an d th e
chil d is properl y strappe d in th e seat .
Installing a Child Seat with a Lap/
Shoulder Belt

Th e lap/shoulde r belt s i n th e oute r
bac k an d fron t passenge r seatin g
position s hav e a lockin g mechanis m
tha t mus t b e activate d t o secur e a
chil d seat .
Th e followin g page s provid e
instruction s o n ho w to secur e a
forward-facin g chil d sea t wit h thi s
typ e o f sea t belt .
Se e pag e 3 6 fo r ho w to secur e a
forward-facin g chil d sea t i n th e
cente r bac k sea t wit h th e la p belt . 1
. Wit h th e chil d sea t i n th e desire d
bac k seatin g position , rout e th e
bel t throug h th e chil d sea t
accordin g t o th e sea t maker' s
instructions , the n inser t th e latc h
plat e int o th e buckle .

Drive r an d Passenge r Safet y

Improperl
y placin g a forward -
facin g chil d sea t i n th e fron t
sea t ca n resul t i n seriou s injur y
o r deat h if th e airbag s inflate .
I f yo u mus t plac e a forward -
facin g chil d sea t i n front , mov e
th e vehicl e sea t a s fa r bac k a s
possibl e an d properl y restrai n
th e child .

Protectin
g Childre n

Protectin g Large r Childre n
Whe n a chil d reache s th e
recommende d weigh t o r heigh t limi t
fo r a forward-facin g chil d seat , th e
chil d shoul d si t i n on e o f th e oute r
bac k seat s an d wea r a lap/shoulde r
belt . Th e lap/shoulde r bel t provide s
bette r protectio n tha n th e la p belt .
I f a chil d is to o shor t fo r th e shoulde r
par t o f th e bel t t o properl y fit , w e
recommen d tha t th e chil d us e a
booste r sea t unti l tal l enoug h to us e
th e sea t bel t withou t a booster .
Th e followin g page s giv e
instruction s o n ho w to chec k prope r
sea t bel t fit , wha t kin d o f booste r
sea t t o us e if on e is needed , an d
importan t precaution s fo r childre n
wh o mus t si t i n th e fron t seat .
Checking Seat Belt Fit

T o determin e i f a lap/shoulde r bel t
properl y fit s a child , hav e th e chil d
pu t o n th e sea t belt . Follo w th e
instruction s o n pag e 1 5 . The n chec k
ho w th e bel t fits .
I f th e shoulder part o f th e bel t rest s
ove r th e child' s collarbon e an d
agains t th e cente r o f th e chest , a s
shown , th e chil d is large enoug h to
wea r th e sea t belt .

Drive r an d Passenge r Safet y

Allowin
g a large r chil d to si t
improperl y in th e fron t sea t ca n
resul t i n injur y o r deat h if th e

airbag s inflate .

I f a large r chil d mus t si t i n front ,
mak e sur e th e chil d move s th e
sea t a s fa r bac k a s possibl e
an d wear s th e sea t bel t properly .

CONTINUED

Additiona
l Informatio n Abou t You r SR S
SR S Component s

You r Supplementa l Restrain t Syste m
(SRS ) includes :
Tw o fron t airbags . Th e driver' s
airba g is store d in th e cente r o f
th e steerin g wheel ; th e fron t
passenger' s airba g is store d in th e
dashboard . Bot h ar e marke d "SR S
AIRBAG. "
Sensor s tha t ca n detec t a
moderat e t o sever e fronta l
collision .
A sophisticate d electroni c syste m
tha t continuall y monitor s th e
sensors , contro l unit , th e airba g
activators , an d al l relate d wirin g
whe n th e ignitio n is O N (II) . A
n indicato r ligh t o n th e
instrumen t pane l tha t alerts you t o
a possibl e proble m wit h th e
syste m (se e pag e 47 ).
Emergenc y backu p powe r i n cas e
you r car' s electrica l syste m is
disconnecte d in a crash . Ho
w You r Airbag s Wor k
I f yo u eve r hav e a moderat e t o
sever e fronta l collision , th e sensor s
wil l detec t rapi d deceleratio n an d
signa l th e contro l uni t t o instantl y
inflat e th e airbags .
Durin g a crash , you r sea t bel t help s
restrai n you r lowe r bod y an d torso .
You r airba g provide s a cushio n to
hel p restrai n an d protec t you r hea d
an d chest .
Drive r an d Passenge r Safet y

CONTINUED

Additiona
l Informatio n Abou t You r SR S

Sinc e bot h airbag s us e th e sam e
sensors , bot h airbag s normall y
inflat e a t th e sam e time . However , i t
i s possibl e fo r onl y on e airba g to
inflate .
Thi s ca n occu r whe n th e severit y of
a collisio n is a t th e margin , o r
threshold , tha t determine s whethe r
o r no t th e airbag s wil l deploy . I n
suc h cases , th e sea t bel t wil l provid e
sufficien t protection , an d th e
supplementa l protectio n offere d b y
th e airba g woul d b e minimal .
After inflating , th e airbag s
immediatel y deflate , s o the y won' t
interfer e wit h th e driver' s visibility ,
o r th e abilit y t o stee r o r operat e
othe r controls .
Th e tota l tim e fo r inflatio n an d
deflatio n is approximatel y one-tent h
o f a second , s o fas t tha t mos t
occupant s ar e no t awar e tha t th e
airbag s deploye d unti l the y se e the m
lyin g in thei r laps . Afte
r a crash , yo u ma y se e wha t
look s lik e smoke . Thi s is actuall y
powde r fro m th e airbag' s surface .
Althoug h th e powde r i s no t harmful ,
peopl e wit h respirator y problem s
ma y experienc e som e temporar y
discomfort . I f thi s occurs , ge t ou t o f
th e ca r a s soo n a s it i s saf e to d o so .
U.S. Owners
Fo r additiona l informatio n o n ho w
you r airbag s work , se e th e bookle t

title d SRS: What You Need to Know
About Airbags that cam e wit h you r

owner' s manual .

Canadian Owners
Fo r additiona l informatio n o n ho w
you r airbag s work , as k you r deale r
fo r a cop y o f th e bookle t title d SRS:

What You Need to Know About Airbags.

Drive r an d Passenge r Safet y

Additiona
l Informatio n Abou t You r SR S
Th e purpos e o f th e SR S
ligh t i s t o aler t yo u t o a
potentia l proble m wit h you r
Supplementa l Restrain t System .
Whe n yo u tur n th e ignitio n O N (II) ,
thi s indicato r wil l ligh t u p briefl y
the n g o out . Thi s tell s yo u tha t th e
syste m is workin g properly .
However , i f th e ligh t come s o n a t an y
othe r time , yo u shoul d hav e th e
syste m checke d b y you r dealer . Fo r

example :
I
f th e SR S indicato r ligh t doe s no t
com e o n afte r yo u tur n th e ignitio n

O N (II) . I
f th e ligh t stay s o n afte r th e

engin e starts . I
f th e ligh t come s o n o r flashe s o n
an d of f whil e yo u drive .
I f yo u se e an y o f thes e indications ,
you r airbag s ma y no t deplo y whe n
yo u nee d them . Se e you r Hond a
deale r a s soo n a s possible . SR
S Servic e
You r Supplementa l Restrain t Syste m
i s virtuall y maintenance-free , an d
ther e ar e n o part s yo u ca n safel y
service . However , yo u mus t hav e
you r ca r service d if :
Your airbags ever inflate. Th
e

airbag s an d th e contro l uni t mus t
b e replaced . D o no t tr y t o remov e
o r replac e th e airbag s yourself .
Thi s mus t b e don e b y a Hond a
deale r o r a knowledgeabl e bod y

shop .
The SRS indicator light alerts you

to a problem. Tak
e you r ca r t o a n
authorize d Hond a deale r a s soo n
a s possible . I f yo u ignor e thi s
indication , th e airbag s migh t no t
inflat e whe n yo u nee d them .

Drive r an d Passenge r Safet y

Ho
w th e SR S Indicato r Ligh t

Work s

Ignoring th e SR S indicato r ligh t
ca n resul t i n seriou s injur y o r
deat h i f th e airbag s d o no t
inflat e whe n needed .
Hav e you r vehicl e checke d b y a
deale r a s soo n a s possibl e i f
th e SR S ligh t alert s yo u t o a
potentia l problem .
SRS

Additiona
l Informatio n Abou t You r SR S

Additiona l Safet y Precaution s
D o no t attemp t t o deactivat e you r
airbags . Together , airbag s an d
sea t belt s provid e th e bes t
protectio n in a moderat e to sever e
fronta l collision . D
o no t tampe r wit h SR S
component s o r wirin g fo r an y
reason . Tamperin g coul d caus e
th e airbag s t o deploy , possibl y
causin g ver y seriou s injury .
Se e pag e 15 0 fo r furthe r informatio n
an d precaution s relatin g to you r SRS .
Drive r an d Passenge r Safet y

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 .

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