2003 HONDA CIVIC COUPE manual transmission

Your Car at a Glance
2
(P. 84)
(P. 96)
POWER
DOOR LOCK
SWITCH
POWER WINDOW
SWITCHES
HOOD RELEASE
HANDLE
(P. 158) (P. 110)
HEATING/COOLING CONTROLS
FUEL FILL DOOR RELEASE
(P. 157)
A/T model is shown.
TRUNK RELEASE
(P. 88)
(P. 174)
AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
MANUAL TRANSMISSION
(P. 172) (P.118,130)
AUDIO SYSTEM
DIGITAL CLOCK
(P.123,135)
GAUGES
INDICATOR LIGHTS AIRBAGS
(P. 10, 49)
(P. 69)
(P. 61)
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If the engine does not start within
15 seconds, or starts but stalls
right away, repeat step 4 with the
accelerator pedal pressed half-way
down. If the engine starts, release
pressure on the accelerator pedal
so the engine does not race.
If the engine still does not start,
press the accelerator pedal all the
way down and hold it there while
starting in order to clear f looding.
As bef ore, keep the ignition key in
the START (III) position f or no
more than 15 seconds. Return to
step 5 if the engine does not start.
If it starts, lif t your f oot of f the
accelerator pedal so the engine
does not race.
Apply the parking brake.
In cold weather, turn of f all
electrical accessories to reduce
the drain on the battery.
Push the clutch pedal down all the
way. START (III) does not
f unction unless the clutch pedal is
depressed.
Make sure the shif t lever is in
Park. Press on the brake pedal.
Without touching the accelerator
pedal, turn the ignition key to the
START (III) position. If the engine
does not start right away, do not
hold the key in START (III) f or
more than 15 seconds at a time.
Pause f or at least 10 seconds
bef ore trying again. An engine is harder to start in cold
weather. The thinner air f ound at
high altitude above 8,000 f eet (2,400 meters) adds to the problem.
Use the f ollowing procedure:
Turn of f all electrical accessories
to reduce the drain on the battery.
Push the accelerator pedal half-
way to the f loor and hold it there
while starting the engine. Do not
hold the ignition key in START
(III) f or more than 15 seconds.
When the engine starts, release
the accelerator pedal gradually as
the engine speeds up and smooths
out.
If the engine fails to start in step 2,
push the accelerator pedal to the
f loor and hold it there while you
try to start the engine for no more
than 15 seconds. If the engine
does not start, return to step 2.
1. 2. 3. 4.
5. 6.
1. 2. 3.
Manual Transmission:
Automatic Transmission:
Starting the Engine
Driving
Starting in Cold Weather at High
A ltitude (A bove 8,000 f eet/
2,400 meters)
171
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The manual transmission is syn-
chronizedinallforwardgearsfor
smooth operation. It has a lockout so
you cannot shift directly from Fifth
to Reverse. When shif ting up or
down,makesureyoupushtheclutch
pedal down all the way, shift to the
next gear, and let the pedal up
gradually. When you are not shif ting,
do not rest your f oot on the clutch
pedal. This can cause your clutch to
wear out faster.Come to a full stop before you shift
into Reverse. You can damage the
transmission by trying to shif t into
Reverse with the car moving. Push
down the clutch pedal, and pause f or
a f ew seconds bef ore shif ting into
Reverse, or shif t into one of the
f orward gears f or a moment. This
stops the gears so they won’t ‘‘grind.’’
When slowing down, you can get
extra braking from the engine by
shifting to a lower gear. This extra
braking can help you maintain a safe
speed and prevent your brakes f rom
overheating while going down a
steep hill. Bef ore downshif ting,
make sure the vehicle speed is low
enough that you will not activate the
engine speed limiter in the lower
gear. On all models except U.S. DX,
make sure the engine speed will not
go into the tachometer’s red zone in
the lower gear bef ore downshif ting.
5-speed Manual T ransmission
Driving172
Rapid slowing or speeding-up
can cause loss of control on
slippery surfaces. If you crash,
you can be injured.
Use extra care when driving on
slippery surfaces.
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µMake sure the moonroof and the
windows are closed.
Make sure the parking brake is f ully
released bef ore driving away.
Driving with the parking brake
partially set can overheat or damage
the rear brakes. Turn of f the lights.
Place any packages, valuables, etc.,
in the trunk or take them with you.
Lockthedoorswiththekeyorthe
remote transmitter.
Never park over dry leaves, tall
grass, or other f lammable
materials. The three way catalytic
converter gets very hot, and could
cause these materials to catch on
fire.
Always use the parking brake when
you park your car. The indicator on
the instrument panel shows that the
parking brake is not f ully released; it
does not indicate that the parking
brakeisfirmlyset.Makesurethe
parking brake is set f irmly or your
car may roll if it is parked on an
incline.
If your car has an automatic
transmission, set the parking brake
bef ore you put the transmission in
Park.Thiskeepsthecarfrom
moving and putting pressure on the
parking mechanism in the
transmission making it easier to
move the shift lever out of Park
when you want to drive away. If the car is f acing uphill, turn the
f ront wheels away f rom the curb. If
you have a manual transmission, put
it in f irst gear.
If the car is f acing downhill, turn the
f ront wheels toward the curb. If you
have a manual transmission, put it in
reverse gear.
Parking T ips
Driving
Parking
182
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Tightening torque:
When the coolant stops draining,
tightenthedrainpluginthe
bottom of the radiator. Apply non-
hardening sealant to the drain bolt
threads, put a new washer on the
drain bolt, and reinstall the drain
bolt in the engine block. Tighten it
securely.
Pour Honda All Season
Antif reeze/Coolant Type 2 into
the radiator up to the base of the
f iller neck. This coolant is a
mixture of 50 percent antif reeze
and 50 percent water. Pre-mixing
is not required.The cooling system capacity is:
10.
11.
CONT INUED
With 5-speed manual transmission:With automatic transmission:With automatic transmission (CVT):
Cooling Syst em
Maint enance211
Fill up to here
FILLER NECK
58 lbf·ft (78 N·m , 8.0 kgf·m)
1.03 US gal (3.9
)
1.00 US gal (3.8
)
1.00 US gal (3.8
)
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Check the f luid level in the reser-
voirs monthly. There are up to two
reservoirs, depending on the model.
They are:
The brake f luid should be replaced
accordingtothetimeanddistance
recommendations in the mainte-
nance schedule.Brake f luid reservoir (all models)
Clutch f luid reservoir
(manual transmission only)
Check the f luid level with the
transmission at normal operating
temperature and the car sitting on
level ground. Remove the
transmission f iller bolt and caref ully
f eel inside the bolt hole with your
f inger. The f luid level should be up
to the edge of the bolt hole. If it is
not, add Honda Manual Transmis-
sion Fluid (MTF) until it starts to
run out of the hole. Reinstall the
f iller bolt and tighten it securely. If Honda MTF is not available, you
may use an SAE 10W-30 or 10W-40
viscosity motor oil with the API
Certif ication seal that says ‘‘FOR
GASOLINE ENGINES’’ as a
temporary replacement. However,
motor oil does not contain the proper
additives and continued use can
cause stiffer shifting. Replace as
soon as it is convenient.
The transmission should be drained
and ref illed with new f luid according
to the time and distance recommen-
dations in the maintenance schedule.
5-speed Manual Transmission
T ransmission Fluid
Maint enance216
FILLER BOLT
Correct Level
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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
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If you have a f lat tire while driving,
stop in a saf e place to change it.
Stopping in traf f ic or on the shoulder
of a busy road is dangerous. Drive
slowly along the shoulder until you
gettoanexitoranareatostopthat
is far away from the traffic lanes.Open the trunk. Raise the trunk
f loor by lif ting up on the back edge.
Take the tool kit out of the trunk.
Unscrew the wing bolt and take
the spare tire out of its well.
Park the car on f irm, level and
non-slippery ground away f rom
traffic. Put the transmission in
Park (automatic) or Reverse
(manual). Apply the parking brake.
Turn on the hazard warning lights
and turn the ignition switch to
LOCK (0). Have all the
passengers get out of the car while
you change the tire.
5.
4.
3.
2.
1.
CONT INUED
Changing a Flat T ire
T aking Care of t he Unexpect ed259
SPARE TIRE TRUNK FLOOR
TOOL KIT JACK
The car can easily roll off the
jack, seriously injuring anyoneunderneath.
Follow the directions for
changing a tire exactly, and
never get under the car when it
is supported only by the jack.
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