2000 HONDA CIVIC SEDAN fuel

2000 Civic Sedan
Online Reference Owner's Manual
Contents

Introduction ........................................................................\
................................................................. i
A Few Words About Safet y........................................................................\
.........................................ii
Driver and Passenger Safety ........................................................................\
..................................... .5
Proper use and care of your vehicle's seat belts, and Supplemental Restr\
aint System.
Instruments and Controls........................................................................\
........................................ .51
Instrume nt panel indicator and gauge, and how to use dashboard and steering colu\
mn controls.
Comfort and Convenience Features ........................................................................\
..................... . 89
How to operate the climate control system, the audio system, and other c\
onvenience features.
Before Driving........................................................................\
..........................................................141
What gasoline to use, how to break -in your new vehicle, and how to load luggage and other cargo.
Driving ........................................................................\
..................................................................... .155
The proper way to start the engine, shift the transmission, and park, pl\
us towing a trailer.
Maintenance........................................................................\
.............................................................173
The Maintenance Schedule shows you when you need to take you r vehicle to the dealer.
Appearance Care........................................................................\
..................................................... .231
Tips on cleaning and protecting your vehicle. Things to look for if your\
vehicle ever needs body repairs.
Taking Care of the Unexpected........................................................................\
..............................237
This section covers several problems motorists sometimes experience, an d how to handle them.
Technical Information........................................................................\
............................................ .261
ID numbers, dimensions, capacities, and technical information.
Warranty and Customer Relations (U.S. and Canada)................................................................273
A summary of the warranties covering your new Acura, and how to contact \
us.
Authorized Manuals (U.S. only)........................................................................\
..............................279
How to order manuals and other technical literature.
Index........................................................................\
.............................................................................. I
A summary of information you need when you pull up to the fuel pump. Service Information Summary Use these links (and links throughout this manual) to navigate through\
this reference.
For a printed owner's manual, click on authorized manuals or go to www.\
helminc.com. If you have a Civic refer to Civic Sedan GX Owner’s Manual Supplement
for additional information.
Owner's Identification Form

Gauge
s

Speedomete r
U.S. Models

Thi s show s you r spee d in mile s pe r

hou r (mph) . Th e smalle r inne r

number s ar e th e spee d in kilometer s

pe r hou r (km/h) .

Canadian Models
Thi s show s you r spee d i n kilometer s
pe r hou r (km/h) . Th e smalle r inne r
number s ar e th e spee d i n mile s pe r
hou r (mph) . Tachomete
r
On LX and EX models in U.S., and EX
model in Canada
Th e tachomete r show s th e engin e
spee d in revolution s pe r minut e
(rpm) . T o protec t th e engin e fro m
damage , neve r driv e wit h th e
tachomete r needl e in th e re d zone . Odomete
r
Th e odomete r show s th e tota l dis -
tanc e you r ca r ha s bee n driven . I t
measure s mile s in U.S . model s an d
kilometer s i n Canadia n models .
I t i s illega l unde r U.S . federa l la w an d
Canadia n provincia l regulation s t o
disconnect , reset , o r alte r th e
odomete r wit h th e inten t t o chang e
th e numbe r o f mile s o r kilometer s

indicated .

Tri p Mete r

Thi s mete r show s th e numbe r o f
mile s (U.S. ) o r kilometer s (Canada )
drive n sinc e yo u las t rese t it . T o
rese t it , pus h th e tri p mete r rese t
button .
Th e location s o f th e odomete r an d
th e tri p mete r ar e reverse d o n
Canadia n model .
Instrument s an d Control s
E
X an d U.S . L X
TACHOMETE R TRI P METE RSPEEDOMETE R
FUEL GAUG ETEMPERATUR E
GAUG E
ODOMETE RMAINTENANC
E
REQUIRE D INDICATO RTRI
P METE R
RESE T BUTTO N

Gauge
s

Fue l Gaug e
Thi s show s ho w muc h fue l yo u have .
I t i s mos t accurat e whe n th e ca r i s o n
leve l ground . I t ma y sho w slightl y
mor e o r les s tha n th e actua l amoun t
whe n yo u ar e drivin g o n curv y o r
hill y roads . Th
e gaug e stay s a t th e sam e fue l
leve l readin g afte r yo u tur n of f th e
ignition . Whe n yo u ad d fuel , th e
gaug e slowl y change s t o th e ne w
readin g afte r yo u tur n th e ignitio n
switc h bac k O N (II) . Temperatur
e Gaug e
Thi s show s th e temperatur e o f th e
engine' s coolant . Durin g norma l
operation , th e pointe r shoul d ris e
fro m th e botto m whit e mar k t o abou t
th e middl e o f th e gauge . I n sever e
drivin g conditions , suc h a s ver y ho t
weathe r o r a lon g perio d o f uphil l
driving , th e pointe r ma y ris e t o th e
uppe r blu e zone . I f i t reache s th e re d
(Hot ) mark , pul l safel y t o th e sid e o f
th e road . Tur n t o pag e 24 7 fo r
instruction s an d precaution s o n
checkin g th e engine' s coolin g

system .

Instrument s an d Control s

U.S
. D X an d D X Valu e Package , an d Canadia n L X an d S E
TEMPERATUR E
GAUG E TRI
P METE RSPEEDOMETE RFUEL GAUG E
ODOMETE R
MAINTENANC
E
REQUIRE D INDICATO R
TRI
P METE R
RESE T BUTTO N

Servic
e Statio n Procedure s

Fillin g th e Fue l Tan k
1 . Becaus e th e fue l fil l ca p is o n th e
driver' s sid e o f th e car , par k wit h
tha t sid e closes t t o th e servic e

statio n pumps .

2 . Ope n th e fue l fil l doo r b y pullin g
o n th e handl e t o th e lef t o f th e
driver' s seat . 3
. Remov e th e fue l fil l ca p slowly .
Yo u ma y hea r a hissin g soun d a s
pressur e insid e th e tan k escapes .
4 . Sto p fillin g th e tan k afte r th e fue l
nozzl e automaticall y click s off . D o
no t tr y t o "to p off " th e tank , leav e
som e roo m fo r th e fue l t o expan d
wit h temperatur e changes .
You r ca r ha s a n on-boar d refuelin g
vapo r recover y syste m to hel p
kee p fue l vapor s fro m goin g int o
th e atmosphere . I f th e fue l pum p
keep s clickin g of f eve n thoug h th e
tan k is no t full , ther e ma y b e a
proble m wit h thi s system . Consul t
you r dealer .

CONTINUED

Befor e Drivin g

Gasolin
e is highl y flammabl e
an d explosive . Yo u ca n b e
burne d o r seriousl y injure d
whe n handlin g fuel .
Sto p th e engin e an d kee p
heat , sparks , an d flam e away .
Handl e fue l onl y outdoors .
Wip e u p spill s immediately .
FUE L FIL L CA P

Servic
e Statio n Procedure s

Oil Check
Chec k th e engin e oi l leve l ever y tim e
yo u fil l th e ca r wit h fuel . Wai t a fe w
minute s afte r turnin g th e engin e of f
befor e yo u chec k th e oil .
1 . Remov e th e dipstic k (orang e

handle) .
2
. Wip e th e dipstic k wit h a clea n

clot h o r pape r towel .
3
. Inser t i t al l th e wa y bac k in it s tube .
Befor e Drivin g

DIPSTIC
K

Fue
l Econom y

Th e conditio n o f you r ca r an d you r
drivin g habit s ar e th e tw o mos t
importan t thing s tha t affec t th e fue l
mileag e yo u get .
Vehicl e Conditio n
Alway s maintai n you r ca r accordin g
t o th e maintenanc e schedule . Thi s
wil l kee p it i n to p operatin g condition .
A n importan t par t o f tha t mainte -
nanc e is th e Owne r Maintenanc e
Check s (se e pag e 185 ). Fo r
example , a n underinflate d tir e
cause s mor e "rollin g resistance, "
whic h use s fuel . I t als o wear s ou t
faster , s o chec k th e tir e pressur e a t
leas t monthly .
I n winter , th e build-u p o f sno w o n
you r car' s undersid e add s weigh t an d
rollin g resistance . Frequen t cleanin g
help s you r fue l mileag e an d reduce s
th e chanc e o f corrosion . Drivin
g Habit s
Yo u ca n improv e fue l econom y b y
drivin g moderately . Rapi d acceler -
ation , abrup t cornering , an d har d
brakin g us e mor e fuel .
Alway s driv e i n th e highes t gea r tha t
allow s th e engin e t o ru n an d acceler -
at e smoothly .
Dependin g o n traffi c conditions , tr y
t o maintai n a constan t speed . Ever y
tim e yo u slo w dow n an d spee d up ,
you r ca r use s extr a fuel . Us e th e
cruis e control , whe n appropriate , t o
increas e fue l economy . A
col d engin e use s mor e fue l tha n a
war m engine . I t i s no t necessar y t o
"warm-up " a col d engin e b y lettin g it
idl e fo r a lon g time . Yo u ca n driv e
awa y i n abou t a minute , n o matte r
ho w col d it i s outside . Th e engin e
wil l war m u p faster , an d yo u ge t
bette r fue l economy . T o cu t dow n o n
th e numbe r o f "col d starts, " tr y t o
combin e severa l shor t trip s int o one .
Th e ai r conditionin g put s a n extr a
loa d o n th e engin e whic h make s i t
us e mor e fuel . Tur n of f th e A/ C to
cu t dow n o n ai r conditionin g use .
Us e th e flow-throug h ventilatio n
whe n th e outsid e ai r temperatur e i s

moderate .

Befor e Drivin g

Maintenanc
e Safet y

Importan t Safet y Precaution s
Befor e yo u begi n an y maintenance ,
mak e sur e you r ca r i s parke d o n
leve l groun d an d tha t th e parkin g
brak e is set . Also , b e sur e th e engin e
i s off . Thi s wil l hel p t o eliminat e
severa l potentia l hazards :
Carbo n monoxid e poisonin g
fro m engin e exhaust . B e sur e
ther e is adequat e ventilatio n
wheneve r yo u operat e th e engine .
Burns from ho t parts . Le t th e

engin e an d
exhaus
t syste m coo l
befor e touchin g an y parts .

Injury from moving parts. Do

no t ru n
th
e engin e unles s in -
structe d to d o so . Rea
d th e instruction s befor e yo u
begin , an d mak e sur e yo u hav e th e
tool s an d skill s required .
T o reduc e th e possibilit y o f fir e o r
explosion , b e carefu l whe n workin g
aroun d gasolin e o r batteries . Us e a
commerciall y availabl e degrease r o r
part s cleaner , no t gasoline , t o clea n
parts . Kee p cigarettes , sparks , an d
flame s awa y fro m th e batter y an d al l
fuel-relate d parts .
Yo u shoul d wea r ey e protectio n an d
protectiv e clothin g whe n workin g
nea r th e batter y o r whe n usin g
compresse d air .
Maintenance

Owne
r Maintenanc e Check s
Yo u shoul d chec k th e followin g
item s a t th e specifie d intervals . I f
yo u ar e unsur e o f ho w to perfor m
an y check , tur n t o th e pag e given . Engin
e oi l leve l — Chec k ever y
tim e yo u fil l th e fue l tank . Se e
pag e 146 .
Engin e coolan t leve l — Chec k th e
radiato r reserv e tan k ever y tim e
yo u fil l th e fue l tank . Se e pag e 14 7 .
Windshiel d washe r flui d — Chec k
th e leve l i n th e reservoi r monthly .
I f weathe r condition s caus e yo u t o
us e th e washer s frequently , chec k
th e reservoi r eac h tim e yo u sto p
fo r fuel . Se e pag e 196 .
Automati c transmissio n — Chec k
th e flui d leve l monthly . Se e pag e
197 .
Brake s — Chec k th e flui d leve l monthly
. Se e pag e 198 .
Tire
s — Chec k th e tir e pressur e
monthly . Examin e th e trea d fo r
wea r an d foreig n objects . Se e pag e

211 .
Light
s — Chec k th e operatio n o f
th e headlights , parkin g lights ,
taillights , high-moun t brak e light ,
tur n signals , brak e lights , an d
licens e plat e light s monthly . Se e

pag e 218 .

Maintenanc e