2000 HONDA CIVIC SEDAN Hazard

A
Fe w Word s Abou t Safet y

You r safety , an d th e safet y o f others ,
i s ver y important . An d operatin g thi s
ca r safel y is a n importan t
responsibility .
T o hel p yo u mak e informe d
decision s abou t safety , w e hav e
provide d operatin g procedure s an d
othe r informatio n o n label s an d in
thi s manual . Thi s informatio n alert s
yo u to potentia l hazard s tha t coul d
hur t yo u o r others .
O f course , i t i s no t practica l o r
possibl e to war n yo u abou t al l th e
hazard s associate d wit h operatin g o r
maintainin g you r car . Yo u mus t us e
you r ow n goo d judgement . Yo
u wil l fin d thi s importan t safet y informatio n in a variet y o f forms ,
including :
Safet y Label s — on th e car . Safet
y Message s — precede d b y a safet y aler t symbo l an d on e o f
thre e signa l words : DANGER , WARNING ,
o r CAUTION .

Thes e signa l
word
s mean :

Yo u WIL L b e KILLE D o r SERIOUSL Y
HUR T if yo u don' t follo w instructions .

Yo u CA N b e KILLE D o r SERIOUSL Y

HUR T if yo u don' t follo w instructions .
Yo u CA N b e HUR T if yo u don' t follo w

instructions .

Safet y Heading s — suc h a s Importan t Safet y Reminder s o r Importan t
Safet y Precautions .
Safet y Sectio n — suc h a s Drive r an d Passenge r Safely . Instruction
s — ho w to us e thi s ca r correctl y an d safely .
Thi s entir e boo k is fille d wit h importan t safet y informatio n — pleas e rea d it
carefully .

Drive
r an d Passenge r Safet y

Thi s sectio n give s yo u importan t

informatio n abou t ho w to protec t

yoursel f an d you r passengers . I t

show s yo u ho w to us e sea t belt s

properly . I t explains your Supple -

menta l Restrain t System . An d it tell s

yo u ho w to properl y restrai n infant s
an d childre n in you r car .

Importan t Safet y Precautions......... . 6

You r Car' s Safet y Features............. . 7

Sea t Belts....................................... . 8
Airbags...........................................
. 9

Seat s & Seat-Backs..................... . 1 0

Hea d Restraints.......................... . 1 0

Doo r Locks.................................. . 1 1

Pre-Driv e Safet y Checklist........ . 1 1

Protectin g Adults............................ . 1 2

1 . Clos e an d Loc k th e Doors..... . 1 2

2 . Adjus t th e Fron t Seats........... . 1 2

3 . Adjus t th e Seat-Backs............ . 1 3

4 . Adjus t th e Hea d Restraints... . 1 4

5 . Faste n an d Positio n th e Sea t

Belts..................................... . 1 5

6 . Adjus t th e Steerin g Wheel.... . 1 8

7 . Maintai n a Prope r Sittin g

Position................................ . 1 8

Advic e fo r Pregnan t Women..... . 1 9

Additiona l Safet y Precautions... . 1 9

Protectin g Children........................ . 2 1

Al l Childre n Mus t B e

Restrained............................... . 2 1

Childre n Shoul d Si t i n th e Bac k

Seat........................................... . 2 2

Th e Passenger' s Airba g Pose s

Seriou s Risk s t o Children...... . 2 2

I f Yo u Mus t Driv e wit h Severa l

Children................................... . 2 4
I
f a Chil d Require s Clos e
Attention.................................. . 2 4
Additiona l Safet y Precautions... . 2 4
Genera l Guideline s fo r Usin g

Chil d Seats............................... . 2 5

Protectin g Infants....................... . 2 9
Protectin g Smal l Children......... . 3 3
Protectin g Large r Children....... . 3 7
Usin g Chil d Seat s wit h
Tethers..................................... . 4 0
Additiona l Informatio n Abou t You r

Sea t Belts................................. . 4 2

Sea t Bel t Syste m Components.. . 4 2
Lap/Shoulde r Belt...................... . 4 2
La p Belt........................................ . 4 3
Sea t Bel t Maintenance............... . 4 4
Additiona l Informatio n Abou t You r

SRS........................................... . 4 5

SR S Components........................ . 4 5

Ho w You r Airbag s Work........... . 4 5
Ho w th e SR S Indicato r Ligh t
Works....................................... . 4 7

SR S Service.................................. . 4 7

Additiona l Safet y Precautions... . 4 8

Carbo n Monoxid e Hazard............. . 4 9

Safet y Labels................................... . 5 0

Drive r an d Passenge r Safet y

Important
Safety Precautions
You'l l fin d man y safet y
recommendation s throughou t thi s
section , an d throughou t thi s manual .
Th e recommendation s o n thi s pag e
ar e th e one s w e conside r t o b e th e
mos t important .
Alway s Wea r You r Sea t Bel t
A sea t bel t i s you r bes t protectio n i n
al l type s o f collisions . Airbag s
supplemen t sea t belts , bu t airbag s
ar e designe d t o inflat e onl y i n a
moderat e to sever e fronta l collision .
S o eve n thoug h you r ca r i s equippe d
wit h airbags , mak e sur e yo u an d
you r passenger s alway s wea r you r
sea t belts , an d wea r the m properly .
(Se e pag e 15 .)
Restrai n Al l Childre n
Childre n ar e safes t whe n the y ar e
properl y restraine d i n th e bac k seat ,
no t th e fron t seat . A chil d wh o i s to o
smal l fo r a sea t bel t mus t b e properl y
restraine d in a chil d safet y seat . (Se e
pag e 21 .) B
e Awar e o f Airba g Hazard s
Whil e airbag s ca n sav e lives , the y
ca n caus e seriou s o r fata l injurie s t o
occupant s wh o si t to o clos e t o them ,
o r ar e no t properl y restrained .
Infants , youn g children , an d shor t
adult s ar e a t th e greates t risk . B e
sur e t o follo w al l instruction s an d
warning s i n thi s manual . (Se e pag e
9 .)

Don' t Drin k an d Driv e

Alcoho l an d drivin g don' t mix . Eve n
on e drin k ca n reduc e you r abilit y t o
respon d t o changin g conditions , an d
you r reactio n tim e get s wors e wit h
ever y additiona l drink . S o don' t drin k
an d drive , an d don' t le t you r friend s
drin k an d drive , either . Contro
l You r Spee d
Excessiv e spee d is a majo r facto r i n
cras h injurie s an d deaths . Generally ,
th e highe r th e spee d th e greate r th e
risk , bu t seriou s accident s ca n als o
occu r a t lowe r speeds . Neve r driv e
faste r tha n i s saf e fo r curren t
conditions , regardles s o f th e
maximu m spee d posted .
Kee p You r Ca r i n Saf e Conditio n
Havin g a tir e blowou t o r a
mechanica l failur e ca n b e extremel y
hazardous . T o reduc e th e possibilit y
o f suc h problems , chec k you r tir e
pressure s an d conditio n frequently ,
an d perfor m al l regularl y schedule d
maintenance . (Se e pag e 17 8 .)

Drive r an d Passenge r Safet y

You
r Car' s Safet y Feature s

Airbag s
You r ca r ha s a Supplementa l
Restrain t Syste m (SRS ) wit h fronta l
airbag s t o hel p protec t th e drive r an d
a fron t sea t passenger .
Thi s syste m als o include s
a n indicato r ligh t o n th e
instrumen t pane l t o aler t yo u t o a
possibl e proble m wit h th e system .Th
e mos t importan t thing s yo u nee d
t o kno w abou t you r airbag s are : Airbags do not replace seat belts.
Th e sea t belt s ar e th e occupants '
primar y protectio n in al l type s o f
collisions . Th e airbag s supplemen t
th e sea t belt s b y providin g extr a
protectio n fo r th e hea d an d ches t
o f eac h fron t sea t occupan t i n a
moderat e t o sever e fronta l

collision .
Airbags offer no protection in side

impacts, rear impacts, rollovers,
or minor collisions. Airbag s ar e

designe d t o deploy only durin g a
moderat e t o sever e fronta l

collision .
Airbags can pose serious hazards.
T
o d o thei r job , airbag s mus t
inflat e wit h tremendou s forc e an d
speed . S o whil e airbag s sav e lives ,
the y ca n caus e seriou s injurie s to
adult s an d large r childre n wh o ar e
no t wearin g sea t belts , ar e no t
wearin g the m properly , ar e sittin g
to o clos e t o th e airbag , o r ar e no t
sittin g in a prope r position . Infant s
an d smal l childre n ar e a t a n eve n
greate r ris k o f injur y o r death .

What you should do : Alway s wea r

you r sea t bel t properly , an d 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 .
Drive r an d Passenge r Safet y

S R
S

Protectin
g Childre n

Childre n Shoul d Si t i n th e Bac k

Sea t

Accordin g t o acciden t statistics ,
childre n o f al l age s an d size s ar e
safe r whe n the y ar e restraine d in th e
bac k seat , no t th e fron t seat . 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 th e bac k seat .
I n th e bac k seat , childre n ar e les s
likel y t o b e injure d b y strikin g har d
interio r part s durin g a collisio n o r
har d braking . Also , childre n canno t
b e injure d b y a n inflatin g airba g
whe n the y rid e in th e back . Th
e Passenger' s Airba g Pose s
Seriou s Risk s t o Childre n
Airbag s hav e bee n designe d to hel p
protec t adult s in a moderat e to
sever e fronta l collision . T o d o this ,
th e passenger' s airba g is quit e large ,
an d it inflate s wit h tremendou s

speed .

Infants
Never put a rear-facing child seat in the front seat of a vehicle equipped
with a passenger's airbag. I f th e

airba g inflates , i t ca n hi t th e bac k o f
th e chil d sea t wit h enoug h forc e t o
kil l o r ver y seriousl y injur e a n infant .Small Children

Placing a forward-facing child seat in the front seat of a vehicle equipped
with a passenger's airbag can be

hazardous. I f th e vehicl 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 , a n
inflatin g airba g ca n strik e th e chil d
wit h enoug h forc e t o kil l o r ver y
seriousl y injur e a smal l child .

Larger Children
Children who have outgrown child
seats are also at risk of being injured or killed by an inflating passenger's

airbag. Wheneve r possible , large r

childre n shoul d si t i n th e bac k seat ,
properl y restraine d wit h a sea t belt .
(Se e pag e 3 7 fo r importan t
informatio n abou t protectin g large r
children. )
Drive r an d Passenge r Safet y

Protectin
g Childre n

U.S. Models

T o remin d yo u o f th e passenger' s
airba g hazards , an d tha t childre n
mus t b e properl y restraine d i n th e
bac k seat , you r ca r ha s warnin g
label s o n th e dashboar d an d o n th e
driver' s an d fron t passenger' s visors .
Pleas e rea d an d follo w th e
instruction s o n thes e labels . Canadian Models
T o remin d yo u o f th e airba g hazards ,
you r ca r ha s warnin g label s o n th e
driver' s an d fron t passenger' s visors .
Pleas e rea d an d follo w th e
instruction s o n thes e labels .

Driver an d Passenge r Safet y

PRECAUTION
:

POU R EVITE R DE S BLESSURE S GRAVES :

POU R PROFITE R D'UNE PROTECTIO N
MAXIMAL E LOR S D'UN E COLLISIO N BOUCLE Z
TOUJOUR S VOTR E CEINTUR E D E SECURITE .
N'lNSTALLE Z JAMAI S U N SIEG E POU R
ENFANT S FAISAN T FAC E A L'ARRIER E SU R
L E SIEG E D U PASSAGE R AVANT .
N E VOU S APPUYE Z PA S E T N E VOU S ASSEYE Z
PA S PRE S D U COUSSI N GONFLABLE .
N E DEPOSE Z AUCU N OBJE T SU R L E COUSSI N
GONFLABL E O U ENTR E L E COUSSI N
GONFLABL E E T VOUS .
LISE Z L E GUID E UTILISATEU R POU R D E
PLU S AMPLE S RENSEIGNEMENTS .
CAUTIO
N

T O AVOI D SERIOU S INJURY :

FO R MAXIMU M SAFET Y PROTECTIO N IN
AL L TYPE S O F CRASHES , YO U MUS T
ALWAY S WEA R YOU R SAFET Y BELT .
D O NO T INSTAL L REARWARD-FACIN G
CHIL D SEAT S I N AN Y FRON T
PASSENGE R SEA T POSITION .
D O NO T SI T O R LEA N UNNECESSARIL Y
CLOS E T O TH E AI R BAG .
D O NO T PLAC E AN Y OBJECT S OVE R TH E
AI R BA G O R BETWEE N TH E AI R BA G
AN D YOURSELF .
SE E TH E OWNER' S MANUA L FO R FURTHE R
INFORMATIO N AN D EXPLANATIONS .

Protectin
g Childre n

I f Yo u Mus t Driv e wit h Severa l
Childre n
You r ca r ha s thre e seatin g position s
i n th e bac k sea t wher e childre n ca n
b e properl y restrained .
I f yo u eve r hav e t o carr y mor e tha n
thre e childre n in you r car :
Plac e th e larges t chil d i n th e fron t
seat , provide d th e chil d is larg e
enoug h t o wea r a sea t bel t
properl y (se e pag e 3 7 ) .
Mov e th e vehicl e sea t a s fa r t o th e
rea r a s possibl e (se e pag e 12 ).
Hav e th e chil d si t uprigh t an d wel l
bac k in th e sea t (se e pag e 18 ).
Mak e sur e th e sea t bel t i s properl y
positione d an d secure d (se e pag e
15 ). I
f a Chil d Require s Clos e
Attentio n
Man y parent s sa y the y prefe r t o pu t
a n infan t o r smal l chil d i n th e fron t
passenge r sea t s o the y ca n watc h th e
child , o r becaus e th e chil d require s
attention .
Placin g a chil d in th e fron t sea t
expose s th e chil d t o hazard s fro m
th e airbag , an d payin g clos e
attentio n t o a chil d distract s th e
drive r fro m th e importan t task s o f
driving , placin g bot h o f yo u a t risk .
I f a chil d require s physica l attentio n
o r frequen t visua l contact , w e
strongl y recommen d tha t anothe r
adult ride wit h th e chil d i n th e bac k
seat . Th e bac k sea t i s fa r safe r fo r a
chil d tha n th e front . Additiona
l Safet y Precaution s

Use childproof door locks to
prevent children from opening the
doors. Usin g thi s featur e wil l
preven t childre n fro m openin g th e
door s an d accidentall y fallin g ou t
(se e pag e 7 5 ) .

Use the main power window
switch to prevent children from
opening the rear windows. Usin g

thi s featur e wil l preven t childre n
fro m playin g wit h th e windows ,
whic h coul d expos e the m to
hazard s o r distrac t th e drive r (se e
pag e 8 1 ) .
Drive r an d Passenge r Safet y

Protectin
g Childre n
Do not leave children alone in your
vehicle. Leavin g childre n withou t
adul t supervisio n is illega l i n mos t
state s an d Canadia n provinces ,
an d ca n b e ver y hazardous . Fo r
example , infant s an d smal l
childre n lef t i n a vehicl e o n a ho t
da y ca n di e fro m heatstroke . An d
childre n lef t alon e wit h th e ke y i n
th e ignitio n ca n accidentall y se t
th e vehicl e in motion , possibl y
injurin g themselve s o r others . Genera
l Guideline s fo r Usin g
Chil d Seat s
Th e followin g page s giv e genera l
guideline s fo r selectin g an d installin g
chil d seat s fo r infant s an d smal l
children .
Selecting a Child Seat
T o provid e prope r protection , a chil d
sea t shoul d mee t thre e
requirements :

1. The child seat should meet safety
standards. Th e chil d sea t shoul d
mee t Federa l Moto r Vehicl e
Safet y Standar d 21 3 (FMVS S 213 )
o r Canadia n Moto r Vehicl e Safet y
Standar d 21 3 (CMVS S 213) . Loo k
fo r th e manufacturer' s statemen t
o f complianc e o n th e bo x an d seat .

2. The child seat should be of the
proper type and size to fit the child.
Infants: Childre
n u p t o abou t on e
yea r ol d shoul d b e restraine d in a
rear-facing , reclinin g chil d seat . Onl y
a rear-facin g sea t provide s th e
prope r suppor t t o protec t a n infant' s
head , neck , an d back . Se e pag e
2 9 fo r additiona l informatio n o n
protectin g infants .

CONTINUED

Drive r an d Passenge r Safet y