2003 HONDA CIVIC COUPE maintenance

Periodically check the engine’s
radiator and air conditioning
condenser f or leaves, insects, and
dirt stuck to the f ront surf ace. These
block the air f low and reduce cooling
ef f iciency. Use a light spray f rom a
hose or a sof t brush to remove them.If the air conditioning does not get as
cold as before, have your dealer
check the system. Recharge the
system with Ref rigerant HFC-134a
(R-134a). (See Specif ications on page
.)
Run the air conditioning at least once
a week during the cold weather
months. Run it f or at least ten
minutes while you are driving at a
steady speed with the engine at
normal operating temperature. This
circulates the lubricating oil con-
tained in the ref rigerant.
Your car’s air conditioning is a sealed
system. Any major maintenance,
such as recharging, should be done
by a qualif ied mechanic. You can do
a couple of things to make sure the
air conditioning works ef f iciently.
289Standard f or LX and EX models in the
U.S.,andLXandSimodelsinCanadaOptional f or other models
A ir Condit ioning Syst em
Maint enance228
AIR CONDITIONING CONDENSER
Whenever you have the air conditioning
system serviced, make sure the service
f acility uses a ref rigerant recycling
system. This system captures the
ref rigerant f or reuse. Releasing
ref rigerant into the atmosphere can
damage the environment.
The condenser and radiator f ins bend
easily. Only use a low-pressure spray
or sof t-bristle brush to clean them.
——y

y
(%y
y

µµ
µµ
µµ µµ
The belts should have the f ollowing
‘‘play’’ or def lection. The timing belt should normally be
replaced at the intervals shown in
the maintenance schedule.
In very high temperatures
(over 110°F, 43°C).
In very low temperatures
(under 20°F, 29°C).
Replace this belt at 60,000 miles (U.S.)
or 100,000 km (Canada) if you
regularly drive your car in one or
more of these conditions:
Check the condition of the two drive
belts. Examine the edges of each
belt f or cracks or f raying. Power steering belt:
Alternator belt
(On cars without A/C):
Compressor belt
(On cars with A/C):
If you see signs of wear or looseness,
have your dealer adjust or replace
the belts.
Check the tension of each belt by
pushingonitwithyourthumb
midway between the pulleys.
Drive Belts
T iming Belt
Drive Belts, T iming Belt
Maint enance231
POWER STEERING BELT
ALTERNATOR BELT
0.51 0.65 in (13.0 16.5 mm)
0.33 0.43 in (8.5 11.0 mm)
0.33 0.43 in (8.5 11.0 mm)
——y
y
(%yy

We recommend that you visually
check your tires every day. If you
think a tire might be low, check it
immediately with a tire gauge.
To saf ely operate your car, your tires
must be the proper type and size, in
good condition with adequate tread,
and correctly inf lated. The f ollowing
pages give more detailed inf ormation
on how and when to check air
pressure, how to inspect your tires
for damage and wear, and what to do
when your tires need to be replaced.
Keeping the tires properly inf lated
provides the best combination of
handling, tread lif e, and riding
comf ort. Underinf lated tires wear
unevenly, adversely af f ect handling
and f uel economy, and are more
likely to f ail f rom being overheated.
Overinf lated tires can make your car
ride more harshly, are more prone to
damage f rom road hazards, and wear
unevenly.Check the pressure in the tires when
they are cold. This means the car
has been parked f or at least three
hours. If you have to drive the car
bef ore checking the tire pressure,
the tires can still be considered
‘‘cold’’ if you drive less than 1 mile
(1.6 km).
If you check the pressure when the
tires are hot (the car has been driven
several miles), you will see readings
4 to 6 psi (30 to 40 kPa, 0.3 to 0.4
kgf /cm ) higher than the cold
reading. This is normal. Do not let
air out to match the specified cold
pressure. The tire will be
underinf lated.
Use a gauge to measure the air
pressure at least once a month. Even
tires that are in good condition may
lose 1 to 2 psi (10 to 20 kPa, 0.1 to 0.2
kgf /cm ) per month. Remember to
checkthesparetireatthesametime
you check all the other tires.
Inf lation
Tires
Maint enance232
Using tires that are excessively
worn or improperly inflated can
cause a crash in which you can
be seriously hurt or killed.
Follow all instructions in this
owner’s manual regarding tire
inflation and maintenance.
——y
y
(%yy

Every time you check inf lation, you
should also examine the tires f or
damage, f oreign objects, and wear.
Youshouldlookfor:Bumps or bulges in the tread or
side of the tire. Replace the tire if
youfindeitherof theseconditions.
Excessive tread wear. In addition to proper inf lation,
correct wheel alignment helps to
decrease tire wear. If you f ind a tire
is worn unevenly, have your dealer
check the wheel alignment.
Cuts, splits, or cracks in the side
of the tire. Replace the tire if you
can see f abric or cord. The tires were properly balanced by
the factory. They may need to be
rebalanced at some time bef ore they
are worn out. Have your dealer
check the tires if you f eel a consis-
tent vibration while driving. A tire
should always be rebalanced if it is
removed f rom the wheel f or repair.
Your car’s tires have wear indicators
molded into the tread. When the
tread wears down to that point, you
will see a 1/2 inch (12.7 mm) wide
band running across the tread. This
shows there is less than 1/16 inch
(1.6 mm) of tread lef t on the tire. A
tire that is this worn gives very little
traction on wet roads. You should
replace the tire if you can see the
tread wear indicator in three or more
places around the tire.
Inspection
Maintenance
Tires
Maint enance234
INDICATOR LOCATION MARKS
TREAD WEAR INDICATOR
——y
y
(%yy

Block the rear wheels.
Fill the f uel tank.
Change the engine oil and f ilter
(see page ).
Wash and dry the exterior
completely.
Cleantheinterior.Makesurethe
carpeting, floor mats, etc. are
completely dry.
Leave the parking brake off. Put
the transmission in Reverse
(5-speed manual) or Park
(automatic).
If you need to park your car f or an
extended period (more than one
month), there are several things you
should do to prepare it f or storage.
Proper preparation helps prevent
deterioration and makes it easier to
get your car back on the road. If
possible, store your car indoors.
If the car is to be stored for a
longer period, it should be
supported on jackstands so the
tires are of f the ground.
Leave one window open slightly (if
the car is being stored indoors).
Disconnect the battery.
Support the f ront wiper blade
arms with a f olded towel or rag so
they do not touch the windshield.
To minimize sticking, apply a
silicone spray lubricant to all door
and trunk seals. Also, apply a
vehiclebodywaxtothepainted
surfaces that mate with the door
and trunk seals.Coverthecarwitha‘‘breathable’’
cover, one made f rom a porous
material such as cotton.
Nonporous materials, such as
plastic sheeting, trap moisture,
which can damage the paint.
If possible, run the engine f or a
while periodically (pref erably once
amonth).
If you store your car f or 12 months
or longer, have your Honda dealer
perf orm the inspections called f or in
the 24 months maintenance schedule
(Normal Conditions) as soon as you
take it out of storage (see page ).
The replacements called f or in the
maintenance schedule are not
needed unless the car has actually
reached that time or mileage. 194
205
St oring Your Car
Maint enance248
——y

y
(%y
y

Two f actors normally contribute to
causing corrosion in your car:Moisture trapped in body cavities.
Dirtandroadsaltthatcollectsin
hollows on the underside of the
car stays damp, promoting
corrosion in that area.
Removal of paint and protective
coatings f rom the exterior and
underside of the car. Many corrosion-preventive measures
are built into your Honda. You can
help keep your car f rom corroding
by perf orming some simple periodic
maintenance:
Repair chips and scratches in the
paint as soon as you discover them.
Inspect and clean out the drain
holes in the bottom of the doors
and body.
Check the f loor coverings f or
dampness. Carpeting and f loor
mats may remain damp f or a long
time, especially in winter. This
dampness can eventually cause
the f loor panels to corrode. Use a high-pressure spray to clean
the underside of your car. This is
especially important in areas that
useroadsaltinwinter.Itisalsoa
good idea in humid climates and
areas subject to salt air. Cars
equipped with ABS have a sensor
and wiring at each wheel. Be
caref ul not to damage them.
Have the corrosion-preventive
coatings on the underside of your
car inspected and repaired
periodically.
1. 2.
Corrosion Prot ect ion
Appearance Care255
——y
y
(%yy

ÎÎÎ Î ÎÎÎÎ
Î Î
Î Î
Î Î ÎÎ
Î
ÎÎ
Specif ications
T echnical Inf ormation288
Dimensions
Weights
Engine Capacities
174.7 in (4,438 mm)
66.7 in (1,695 mm)
55.1 in (1,399 mm)
103.1 in (2,620 mm)
57.9 in (1,470 mm)
57.9 in (1,470 mm)
2.95 x 3.72 in (75.0 x 94.4 mm) 13.2 US gal (50
)
102 cu-in (1,668 cm
)
9.5 9.9
Length
Width
Height
Wheelbase
Track
Gross vehicle weight rating See the certification label attached
to the driver’s doorjamb.
Type
BorexStroke
Displacement
Compression ratio
Spark plugs Water cooled 4-stroke
SOHC , SOHC VTEC
4-cylinder gasoline engine
Excluding the oil remaining in the engine.
Including the coolant in the reserve tank and that remaining in the
engine.
Reserve tank capacity: 0.108 US gal (0.41
)
4.8 US qt (4.5
)
2.6 US qt (2.5)
6.0 US qt (5.7)
6.3 US qt (6.0)
3.4 US qt (3.2)
2.9 US qt (2.7)
1.7 US qt (1.6)
1.6 US qt (1.5)
4.4 US qt (4.2)
3.5 US qt (3.3)
3.2 US qt (3.0)
3.7 US qt (3.5)
3.4 US qt (3.2)
Fuel tank
Engine
coolant
Engine oil Automatic
transmission
fluid 1.03 US gal (3.9
)
1.00 US gal (3.8)
1.00 US gal (3.8)
1.32 US gal (5.0
)
1.29 US gal (4.9)
1.29 US gal (4.9)
See spark plug maintenance
section page 221 .
FrontRear
Approx.
U.S.: HX, EX
Canada: Si HX
DX, LX
EX, HX
3: 4: 5:6:
7:
DX, LX
1:2: Change
ManualAutomaticCVT
Total ManualAutomaticCVT
Change Including
filter
Without filter
Total
ChangeTotal
Change Total
U.S. Cars
Canada Cars
12
12 5656
7 7
3 4
Manual trans-
mission fluid
Windshield
washer reservoir
——
y

y
(%y
y

Î
ÎThe United States Clean Air Act
sets standards f or automobile
emissions. It also requires that
automobile manufacturers explain to
owners how their emissions controls
workandwhattodotomaintain
them. This section summarizes how
the emissions controls work.
Scheduled maintenance is on page .
The burning of gasoline in your car’s
engine produces several byproducts.
Some of these are carbon monoxide
(CO), oxides of nitrogen (NOx) and
hydrocarbons (HC). Gasoline
evaporating from the tank also
produces hydrocarbons. Controlling
the production of NOx, CO, and HC
is important to the environment.
Under certain conditions of sunlight
and climate, NOx and HC react to
f orm photochemical ‘‘smog.’’ Carbon
monoxide does not contribute to
smog creation, but it is a poisonous
gas.
In Canada, Honda vehicles comply
with the Canadian emission
requirements, as specif ied in an
agreement with Environment
Canada, at the time they are
manuf actured.
Your car has a Positive Crankcase
Ventilation System. This keeps
gasses that build up in the engine’s
crankcase from going into the
atmosphere. The Positive Crankcase Ventilation valve routes them from
the crankcase back to the intake
manif old. They are then drawn into
the engine and burned.
As gasoline evaporates in the f uel
tank, an evaporative emissions
control canister f illed with charcoal
adsorbs the vapor. It is stored in this
canister while the engine is of f . Af ter
the engine is started and warmed up,
the vapor is drawn into the engine
and burned during driving.
194
The Clean Air Act
Crankcase Emissions Control
System Evaporative Emissions Control
System
Emissions Cont rols
T echnical Inf ormation294
——y
y
(%yy