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

Protectin
g Childre n

However , i f th e bel t touche s o r
crosse s th e child' s neck , th e chil d
need s t o us e a booste r seat .

Do not let a child wear a seat belt
across the neck. Thi s coul d resul t i n
seriou s nec k injurie s durin g a crash .

Do not let a child put the shoulder

part of a seat belt behind the back or
under the arm. Thi s coul d caus e
ver y seriou s injurie s durin g a crash .
I t als o increase s th e chanc e tha t th e
chil d wil l slid e unde r th e bel t i n a
cras h an d b e injured .
Do not put any accessories on a seat

belt. Device s intende d to improv e
occupan t comfor t o r repositio n th e
shoulde r par t o f a sea t belt , severel y
compromis e th e protectiv e capabilit y
o f sea t belt s an d increas e th e chanc e
o f seriou s injur y i n a crash .

Two children 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 .
Using a Booster Seat

I f a chil d need s a booste r seat , w e
recommen d choosin g a styl e tha t
allow s th e chil d t o us e th e lap /
shoulde r bel t directly , withou t a
shield , a s shown .
Whicheve r styl e yo u select , follo w
th e booste r sea t maker' s instructions .

Drive r an d Passenge r Safet y

Protectin
g Childre n

A chil d ma y continu e usin g a booste r
sea t unti l th e top s o f th e ear s ar e
eve n wit h th e to p o f th e seat-back . A
chil d o f thi s heigh t shoul d b e tal l
enoug h t o us e th e lap/shoulde r bel t
withou t a booster .
When Can a Larger Child Sit in Front

Th e Nationa l Highwa y Traffi c Safet y
Administratio n an d Transpor t
Canad a recommen d tha t al l childre n
age s 1 2 an d unde r b e properl y
restraine d in a bac k seat .
Th e bac k sea t i s th e safes t plac e fo r
a chil d o f an y ag e o r size .
I n addition , th e passenger' s airba g
pose s seriou s risk s t o children . I f th e
sea t i s to o fa r forward , o r th e child' s
hea d is throw n forwar d durin g a
collision , o r th e chil d is unrestraine d
o r ou t o f position , a n inflatin g airba g
ca n kil l o r seriousl y injur e th e child .
O f course , childre n var y widely . An d
whil e ag e ma y b e on e indicato r o f
whe n a chil d ca n safel y rid e in th e
front , ther e ar e othe r importan t
factor s yo u shoul d consider . Physical Size
Physically , a chil d mus t b e larg e
enoug h fo r th e lap/shoulde r bel t t o
properl y fi t ove r th e hips , chest , an d
shoulde r (se e page s 1 5 an d 37 ). I f
th e sea t bel t doe s no t fi t properly ,
th e chil d shoul d no t si t i n th e front .

CONTINUED

Drive r an d Passenge r Safet y

Protectin
g Childre n

Maturity

T o safel y rid e in front , a chil d mus t
b e abl e t o follo w th e rules , includin g
sittin g properl y an d wearin g th e sea t
bel t properl y throughou t a ride .
I f yo u decid e tha t a chil d ca n safel y
rid e u p front , b e sur e to :
Carefull y rea d th e owner' s manua l
an d mak e sur e yo u understan d al l
sea t bel t instruction s an d al l safet y
information .
Mov e th e vehicl e sea t t o th e rear -
mos t position .
Hav e th e chil d si t up straight , bac k
agains t th e seat , an d fee t o n o r
nea r th e floor . Chec
k tha t th e child' s sea t bel t i s
properl y positione d an d secured .
Supervis e th e child . Eve n matur e
childre n sometime s nee d to b e
reminde d to faste n th e sea t belt s
o r si t properly . Usin
g Chil d Seats with Tether s
You r ca r ha s thre e tethe r anchorag e
point s o n th e rea r shel f fo r securin g
a tether-styl e chil d sea t t o th e car .
Sinc e a tethe r ca n provid e additiona l
security , w e recommen d usin g a
tethe r wheneve r on e is require d o r

available .

Drive r an d Passenge r Safet y

Protectin
g Childre n

Drive r an d Passenge r Safet y
Attac
h th e tethe r stra p hoo k t o th e
tethe r anchorag e poin t an d tighte n
th e stra p accordin g to th e chil d sea t
maker' s instructions .

Additiona
l Informatio n Abou t You r Sea t Belt s
Sea t Bel t Syste m Component s

You r sea t bel t syste m include s lap /
shoulde r belt s i n th e fron t seat s an d
th e oute r bac k seats , an d a la p bel t i n
th e cente r bac k seat .
Th e sea t bel t syste m als o
include s a ligh t o n th e
instrumen t pane l t o remin d yo u an d
you r passenger s t o faste n you r belts .
I f th e driver' s sea t bel t i s no t
fastene d befor e th e ignitio n is turne d
O N (II) , th e ligh t wil l com e o n an d a
beepe r wil l als o sound . Th e beepe r
wil l sto p afte r a fe w seconds , bu t th e
ligh t wil l sta y o n unti l th e driver' s
sea t bel t i s fastened . Lap/Shoulde
r Bel t
Thi s sea t bel t ha s a singl e bel t tha t
goe s ove r you r shoulder , acros s you r
ches t an d acros s you r hips .
T o faste n th e 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 buckl e is

latched .
T
o unloc k th e belt , pus h th e re d
PRES S butto n o n th e buckle .
Guid e th e bel t acros s you r bod y t o
th e doo r pillar . Afte r exitin g th e car ,
b e sur e th e bel t i s ou t o f th e wa y an d
wil l no t ge t close d in th e door .
Al l lap/shoulde r belt s hav e a n
emergenc y lockin g retractor .
I n norma l driving , th e retracto r let s
yo u mov e freel y i n you r sea t whil e i t
keep s som e tensio n o n th e belt .
Durin g a collisio n o r sudde n stop ,
th e retracto r automaticall y locks the
bel t t o hel p restrai n you r body .
Al l th e lap/shoulde r belt s excep t th e
driver' s hav e a n additiona l lockin g
mechanis m tha t mus t b e activate d t o
secur e a chil d seat . (Se e page s
3 0 an d 3 4 fo r instruction s o n ho w to
secur e chil d seat s wit h thi s typ e o f
sea t belt. )
Drive r an d Passenge r Safet y

Additiona
l Informatio n Abou t You r Sea t Belt s

I f th e shoulde r par t o f th e bel t i s
pulle d al l th e wa y out , th e lockin g
mechanis m wil l activate . Th e bel t
wil l retract , bu t i t wil l no t allo w th e
passenge r t o mov e freely .
T o deactivat e th e lockin g
mechanism , unlatc h th e buckl e an d
le t th e sea t bel t full y retract . T o
refaste n th e belt , pul l i t ou t onl y a s
fa r a s needed .
Se e pag e 1 5 fo r instruction s o n ho w
t o wea r th e lap/shoulde r bel t
properly . La
p Bel t

Th e la p bel t ha s on e manually -

adjuste d bel t tha t fit s acros s th e hips .

To faste n th e belt , inser t th e latc h
plat e int o th e buckl e marke d
CENTER , the n tu g o n th e bel t t o
mak e sur e th e buckl e is latched .
T o unloc k th e belt , pus h th e re d
PRES S button .
Se e pag e 1 7 fo r ho w to lengthe n th e
la p belt , an d ho w to properl y positio n
th e belt .
Drive r an d Passenge r Safet y

Additiona
l Informatio n Abou t You r Sea t Belt s
Sea t Bel t Maintenanc e
Fo r safety , yo u shoul d chec k th e
conditio n o f you r sea t belt s regularly .
Pul l eac h bel t ou t full y an d loo k fo r
frays , cuts , burns , an d wear . Chec k
tha t th e latche s wor k smoothl y an d
tha t th e lap/shoulde r belt s retrac t
easily . An y bel t no t i n goo d conditio n
o r no t workin g properl y wil l no t
provid e goo d protectio n an d shoul d
b e replace d a s soo n a s possible .

U.S. Models

Hond a provide s a lifetim e warrant y
o n sea t belts . Hond a wil l repai r o r
replac e an y sea t bel t componen t tha t
fail s t o functio n properl y durin g
norma l use . Pleas e se e you r Honda

Warranty Information bookle t fo r

details .
I
f a sea t bel t i s wor n durin g a crash ,
yo u shoul d hav e you r deale r inspec t
th e belt , an d replac e i t i f necessary .
A bel t tha t ha s bee n wor n durin g a
cras h ma y no t provid e th e sam e leve l
o f protectio n in a subsequen t crash .
Th e deale r shoul d als o inspec t th e
anchor s fo r damag e an d replac e
the m if needed . Fo
r informatio n o n ho w to clea n you r
sea t belts , se e pag e 234 .

Drive r an d Passenge r Safet y
No
t checkin g o r maintainin g
sea t belt s ca n resul t i n seriou s
injur y o r deat h if th e sea t belt s
d o no t wor k properl y whe n
needed .
Chec k you r sea t belt s regularl y
an d hav e an y proble m
correcte d a s soo n a s possible .

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