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

Jum
p Startin g

3 . Connec t on e jumpe r cabl e to th e
positiv e (+ ) termina l o n th e
booste r battery . Connec t th e othe r
en d t o th e positiv e (+ ) termina l
o n you r Honda' s battery . 4
. Connec t th e secon d jumpe r cabl e
t o th e negativ e (— ) termina l o n
th e booste r battery . Connec t th e
othe r en d to th e groundin g stra p
a s shown . D o no t connec t thi s
jumpe r cabl e t o an y othe r par t o f
th e engine .
5 . I f th e booste r batter y i s i n anothe r
vehicle , hav e a n assistan t star t
tha t vehicl e an d ru n it a t a fas t idle . BOOSTE
R BATTER Y
6 . Star t you r car . I f th e starte r moto r
stil l operate s slowly , chec k th e
jumpe r cabl e connection s t o mak e
sur e the y hav e goo d metal-to -
meta l contact .
7 . Onc e you r ca r i s running , discon -
nec t th e negativ e cabl e fro m you r
car , the n fro m th e booste r battery .
Disconnec t th e positiv e cabl e fro m
you r car , the n th e booste r battery .
Takin g Car e o f th e Unexpecte d

I
f You r Engin e Overheat s
Th e pointe r o f you r car' s tempera -
tur e gaug e shoul d sta y in th e mid -
rang e unde r mos t conditions . I t ma y
g o highe r i f yo u ar e drivin g u p a lon g
stee p hil l o n a ver y ho t day . I f i t
climb s t o th e re d mark , yo u shoul d
determin e th e reason .
Driving with the temperature gauge
pointer at the red mark can cause serious damage to your engine. You
r ca r ca n overhea t fo r severa l
reasons , suc h a s lac k o f coolan t o r a
mechanica l problem . Th e onl y
indicatio n ma y b e th e temperatur e
gaug e climbin g to o r abov e th e re d
mark . O r yo u ma y se e stea m o r
spra y comin g fro m unde r th e hood .
I n eithe r case , yo u shoul d tak e
immediat e action . 1
. Safel y pul l t o th e sid e o f th e road .
Pu t th e transmissio n in Neutra l o r
Par k an d se t th e parkin g brake .
Tur n of f th e heatin g an d coolin g
syste m an d al l othe r accessories .
Tur n o n th e hazar d warnin g
indicators .
2 . I f yo u se e stea m and/o r spra y
comin g fro m unde r th e hood , tur n
of f th e engine .
3 . I f yo u d o no t se e stea m o r spray ,
leav e th e engin e runnin g an d
watc h th e temperatur e gauge . I f
th e hig h hea t i s du e t o overloadin g
(climbin g a long , stee p hil l o n a
ho t da y wit h th e A/ C running , fo r
example) , th e engin e shoul d star t
t o coo l dow n almos t immediately .
I f i t does , wai t unti l th e tempera -
tur e gaug e come s dow n to th e mid -
poin t the n continu e driving .

CONTINUED

Takin g Car e o f th e Unexpecte d
Stea
m an d spra y fro m a n
overheate d engin e ca n
seriousl y scal d you .
D o no t ope n th e hood if stea m
i s comin g out .

NOTIC
E

I
f You r Engin e Overheat s

4 . I f th e temperatur e gaug e stay s a t
th e re d mark , tur n of f th e engine .
5 . Wai t unti l yo u se e n o mor e sign s
o f stea m or spray , the n ope n th e

hood .

6 . Loo k fo r an y obviou s coolan t leaks ,
suc h a s a spli t radiato r hose .
Everythin g is stil l extremel y hot ,
s o us e caution . I f yo u fin d a leak , i t
mus t b e repaire d befor e yo u
continu e drivin g (se e Emergenc y
Towin g o n pag e 259 ).
7 . I f yo u don' t fin d a n obviou s leak ,
chec k th e coolan t leve l i n th e
radiato r reserv e tan k (se e pag e
147 ). I f th e leve l i s belo w th e
MI N mark , ad d coolan t t o halfwa y
betwee n th e MI N an d MA X marks .
8 . I f ther e wa s n o coolan t i n th e
reserv e tank , yo u ma y als o hav e to
ad d coolan t t o th e radiator . Le t th e
engin e coo l dow n unti l th e pointe r reache
s th e middl e o f th e tempera -
tur e gauge , o r lower , befor e check -
in g th e radiator .
9 . Usin g glove s o r a larg e heav y
cloth , tur n th e radiato r ca p
counterclockwise , withou t pushin g
down , t o th e firs t stop . Thi s
release s an y remainin g pressur e in
th e coolin g system . Afte r th e
pressur e releases , pus h dow n o n
th e ca p an d tur n it unti l i t come s
off . 10.Star
t th e engin e an d se t th e
temperatur e contro l dia l t o
maximum . Ad d coolan t t o th e
radiato r u p to th e bas e o f th e fille r
neck . I f yo u d o no t hav e th e
prope r coolan t mixtur e available ,
yo u ca n ad d plai n water .
Remembe r t o hav e th e coolin g
syste m draine d an d refille d wit h
th e prope r mixtur e a s soo n a s yo u

can .

11.Pu t th e radiato r ca p bac k o n
tightly . Ru n th e engin e an d watc h
th e temperatur e gauge . I f i t goe s
bac k t o th e re d mark , th e engin e
need s repair . (Se e Emergenc y
Towin g o n pag e 25 9 .)
12.I f th e temperatur e stay s normal ,
chec k th e coolan t leve l i n th e
radiato r reserv e tank . I f i t ha s
gon e down , ad d coolan t t o th e
MA X mark . Pu t th e ca p bac k o n

tightly .

Takin g Car e o f th e Unexpecte d
Removin
g th e radiato r ca p
whil e th e engin e i s ho t ca n
caus e th e coolan t t o spra y out ,
seriousl y scaldin g you .
Alway s le t th e engin e an d
radiato r coo l dow n befor e
removin g th e radiato r cap .

Lo
w Oi l Pressur e Indicato r

LO W OI L PRESSUR E INDICATO R
Thi s indicato r shoul d ligh t whe n th e
ignitio n switc h is O N (II) , an d g o ou t
afte r th e engin e starts . I t shoul d
neve r com e o n whe n th e engin e is
running . I f i t start s flashing , i t
indicate s tha t th e oi l pressur e
droppe d ver y lo w fo r a moment , the n
recovered . I f th e indicato r stay s o n
wit h th e engin e running , i t show s
tha t th e engin e ha s los t oi l pressur e
an d seriou s engin e damag e is
possible . I n eithe r case , yo u shoul d
tak e immediat e action .
Running the engine with low oil

pressure can cause serious mechanical
damage almost immediately. Turn off
the engine as soon as you can safely get

the car stopped.

1 . Safel y pul l of f th e roa d an d shu t
of f th e engine . Tur n o n th e hazar d
warnin g indicators .
2 . Le t th e ca r si t fo r a minute . Ope n
th e hoo d an d chec k th e oi l leve l
(se e pag e 146 ). Althoug h oi l leve l
an d oi l pressur e ar e no t directl y
connected , a n engin e tha t i s ver y
lo w o n oi l ca n los e pressur e durin g
cornerin g an d othe r drivin g

maneuvers .

3 . I f necessary , ad d oi l t o brin g th e
leve l bac k t o th e ful l mar k o n th e
dipstic k (se e pag e 187 ). 4
. Star t th e engin e an d watc h th e oi l
pressur e indicator . I f th e ligh t
doe s no t g o ou t withi n te n seconds ,
tur n of f th e engine . Ther e is a
mechanica l proble m tha t need s t o
b e repaire d befor e yo u ca n
continu e driving . (Se e Emergenc y
Towin g o n pag e 25 9 .)

Takin g Car e o f th e Unexpecte d

NOTIC
E

Chargin
g Syste m Indicato r

CHARGIN G SYSTE M INDICATO R
Thi s indicato r shoul d com e o n whe n
th e ignitio n switc h is O N (II) , an d g o
ou t afte r th e engin e starts . I f i t
come s o n brightl y whe n th e engin e
i s running , i t indicate s tha t th e
chargin g syste m ha s stoppe d
chargin g th e battery . Immediatel
y tur n of f al l electrica l
accessories : radio , heater , A/C , rea r
defogger , cruis e control , etc . Tr y no t
t o us e othe r electrically-operate d
control s suc h a s th e powe r windows .
Kee p th e engin e runnin g an d tak e
extr a car e no t t o stal l it . Startin g th e
engin e wil l discharg e th e batter y
rapidly . B
y eliminatin g a s muc h o f th e
electrica l loa d a s possible , yo u ca n
driv e severa l mile s (kilometers )
befor e th e batter y is to o discharge d
t o kee p th e engin e running . Driv e to
a servic e statio n o r garag e wher e
yo u ca n ge t technica l assistance .
Takin g Car e o f th e Unexpecte d

Malfunctio
n Indicato r Lam p

MALFUNCTIO N INDICATO R LAM P

Thi s indicato r come s o n fo r a fe w
second s whe n yo u tur n th e ignitio n

switc h O N (II) . I f i t come s o n a t an y

othe r time , i t indicate s on e o f th e

engine' s emission s contro l system s

ma y hav e a problem . Eve n thoug h

yo u ma y fee l n o differenc e in you r

car' s performance , i t ca n reduc e

you r fue l econom y an d caus e you r

ca r t o pu t ou t excessiv e emissions .

Continue d operatio n ma y caus e

seriou s damage .
I
f yo u hav e recentl y refuele d you r
car , th e caus e o f thi s indicato r
comin g o n coul d b e a loos e o r
missin g fue l fil l cap . Chec k th e ca p
an d tighte n it unti l i t click s severa l
times . Replac e th e fue l fil l ca p if i t i s
missing . Tightenin g th e ca p wil l no t
mak e th e indicato r tur n of f
immediately ; i t take s thre e drivin g

trips .

I f th e indicato r remain s o n pas t thre e
drivin g trips , o r th e fue l ca p wa s no t
loos e o r missing , hav e th e ca r
checke d b y th e deale r a s soo n a s
possible . Driv e moderatel y unti l th e
deale r ha s inspecte d th e problem .
Avoi d full-throttl e acceleratio n an d
drivin g a t hig h speed .
Yo u shoul d als o hav e th e deale r
inspec t you r ca r i f thi s indicato r
come s o n repeatedly , eve n thoug h it
ma y tur n of f a s yo u continu e driving .If you keep driving with the
malfunction indicator lamp on, you can
damage your car's emissions controls
and engine. Those repairs may not be
covered by your car's warranties.
Takin g Car e o f th e Unexpecte d

NOTIC
E

Brak
e Syste m Indicato r

BRAK E SYSTE M INDICATOR *
"U.S . indicato r show n
Th e Brak e Syste m indicato r ligh t
shoul d normall y com e o n onl y whe n
th e parkin g brak e is no t full y

released .

I f i t come s o n a t an y othe r time , i t
indicate s a proble m wit h th e car' s
brak e system . I n mos t cases , th e
proble m is a lo w flui d leve l i n th e
brak e flui d reservoir . Pres s lightl y o n
th e brak e peda l t o se e if i t feel s
normal . I f i t does , chec k th e brak e
flui d leve l th e nex t tim e yo u sto p a t a servic
e statio n (se e pag e 19 8 ) . I f th e
flui d leve l i s low , tak e th e ca r t o you r
deale r an d hav e th e brak e syste m
inspecte d fo r leak s o r wor n brak e

pads .

However , i f th e brak e peda l doe s no t
fee l normal , yo u shoul d tak e
immediat e action . Becaus e o f th e
brak e system' s dual-circui t design , a
proble m in on e par t o f th e syste m
wil l stil l giv e yo u brakin g a t tw o
wheels . Yo u wil l fee l th e brak e peda l
g o dow n muc h farthe r befor e th e ca r
begin s t o slo w down , an d yo u wil l
hav e t o pres s harde r o n th e pedal .
Th e distanc e neede d t o sto p wil l b e
muc h longer .
Slo w dow n b y shiftin g to a lowe r
gear , an d pul l t o th e sid e o f th e roa d
whe n it i s safe . Becaus e o f th e
longe r distanc e neede d t o stop , i t i s
hazardou s t o driv e th e car . Yo u
shoul d hav e it towed , an d repaire d a s
soo n a s possible . (Se e Emergenc yTowin
g o n pag e 25 9 .)
I f yo u mus t driv e th e ca r a shor t
distanc e in thi s condition , driv e
slowl y an d cautiously .

Takin g Car e o f th e Unexpecte d

Closin
g th e Moonroo f

I f th e electri c moto r wil l no t clos e
th e moonroof , d o th e following :
1 . Chec k th e fus e fo r th e moonroo f
moto r (se e pag e 255 ). I f th e fus e
i s blown , replac e it wit h on e o f th e
sam e o r lowe r rating .
2 . Tr y closin g th e moonroof . I f th e
ne w fus e blow s immediatel y o r th e
moonroo f moto r stil l doe s no t
operate , yo u ca n clos e th e
moonroo f manually .
3 . Ge t th e moonroo f wrenc h ou t o f
th e too l ki t i n th e trunk . ROUN
D PLU G
4 . Us e a screwdrive r o r coi n to
remov e th e roun d plu g in th e
cente r o f th e headliner . 5
. Inser t th e moonroo f wrenc h int o
th e socke t behin d thi s plug . Tur n
th e wrenc h unti l th e moonroo f i s

full y closed .

6 . Remov e th e wrench . Replac e th e

roun d plug .

Takin g Car e o f th e Unexpecte d

SOCKE
T