2003 HONDA CIVIC HATCHBACK Owners Manual

Store or secure all items that could
be thrown around and hurt
someone during a crash.
Besureitemsplacedonthefloor
behind the f ront seats cannot roll
under the seats and interf ere with
the driver’s ability to operate the
pedals, or with the proper
operation of the seats.
Keep the glove box closed while
driving. If the lid is open, a
passenger could injure their knees
during a crash or sudden stop.
This f igure includes the total weight
of all occupants, cargo, and
accessories.
To f igure out how much cargo you
can carry:
Add up the weight of all occupants.
The f inal number is the total weight
of cargo you can carry.
The maximum load for your car is
850 lbs (395 kg).
Subtract the total f rom 850 lbs
(395 kg). Carrying Items in the Passenger
Compartment
Load Limit
Carrying Cargo
Bef ore Driving
138 Overloading or improper
loading can affect handling and
stability and cause a crash in
which you can be hurt or killed.
Follow all load limits and other
loading guidelines in thismanual.

Distribute cargo evenly on the
f loor of the cargo area, placing the
heaviest items on the bottom and
as far forward as possible.
Do not place items on the cargo
area cover, or stack objects higher
than the top of the back seat. They
could block your view and be
thrown about the vehicle during a
crash or sudden stop.If you can carry any items on a
roof rack,besurethetotalweight
of the rack and the items does not
exceed the maximum allowable
weight. Please contact your Honda
dealer f or f urther inf ormation.
If you carry large items that
prevent you f rom closing the
hatch, exhaust gas can enter the
passenger area. To avoid the
possibility of carbon monoxide
poisoning, f ollow the instructions
on page .
If youfolddownthebackseat,tie
down items that could be thrown
about the vehicle during a crash or
sudden stop. 52
Carrying Cargo in the Cargo A rea
or on a Roof Rack
Carrying Cargo
Bef ore Driving
139

140

This section gives you tips on
starting the engine under various
conditions, and how to operate the
5-speed manual transmission. It also
includes important inf ormation on
parking your car, and the braking
system.........................
Preparing to Drive . 142
.......................
Starting the Engine . 143
Starting in Cold Weather ....................
at High Altitude . 143
....
5-speed Manual Transmission . 144
.....
Recommended Shif t Points . 145
..............
Engine Speed Limiter . 145
...........................................
Parking . 146
..............................
Parking Tips . 146
.....................
The Braking System . 147
.............
Brake Wear Indicators . 147
...............
Brake System Design . 148
........................
Anti-lock brakes . 148
Important Saf ety .......................
Remainders . 149
........................
ABS Indicator . 150
...............
Driving in Bad Weather . 151
...........................
Towing a Trailer . 152
Driving
Driving 141

Make sure all windows, mirrors,
and outside lights are clean and
unobstructed. Remove f rost, snow,
or ice.Check the adjustment of the seat
(see page ).
Check the adjustment of the
inside and outside mirrors (see
page ).
Turn the ignition switch ON (II).
Check the indicator lights in the
instrument panel.
Start the engine (see page ).
Check the gauges and indicator
lights in the instrument panel (see
page ).
Check that any items you may be
carrying with you inside are stored
properly or f astened down
securely.
Visually check the tires. If a tire
looks low, use a gauge to check its
pressure.
Check that the hood and hatch are
f ully closed. Make sure the doors are securely
closed and locked.
Check the adjustment of the
steering wheel (see page ).
Fasten your seat belt. Check that
your passengers have f astened
their seat belts (see page ).
Youshoulddothefollowingchecks
and adjustments every day bef ore
you drive your car. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8.9.
10. 11. 12.
15
81
88 71 57 143
Preparing to Drive
Driving
142

Apply the parking brake.
In cold weather, turn of f all
electrical accessories to reduce
the drain on the battery.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.
Push the clutch pedal down all the
way. START (III) does not
f unction unless the clutch pedal is
depressed.
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.
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.
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.
1. 2. 3. 4. 5.
6.
1. 2. 3.
Starting the Engine
Driving
Starting in Cold Weather at High
A ltitude (A bove 8,000 f eet/
2,400 meters)
143

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 shift into
Reverse with the vehicle 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 f rom 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. 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
Driving
144 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.

Drive in the highest gear that lets
the engine run and accelerate
smoothly. This will give you the best
f uel economy and ef f ective emis-
sions control. The f ollowing shif t
points are recommended:Shif t up
1st to 2nd
2nd to 3rd 3rd to 4th4th to 5th Bef ore downshif ting, make sure the
engine will not go into the
tachometer’s red zone.
If you exceed the maximum speed
f or the gear you are in, the engine
speed will enter into the tachometer’s
red zone. If this occurs, you may f eel
the engine cut in and out. This is
caused by a limiter in the engine’s
computer controls. The engine will
run normally when you reduce the
RPM below the red zone.
Shif t up
1st to 2nd
2nd to 3rd 3rd to 4th
4th to 5th
Normal acceleration
17 mph (27 km/h)
28 mph (45 km/h)
45 mph (72 km/h)
56 mph (90 km/h) 8mph(13km/h)
25 mph (40 km/h)
38 mph (60 km/h)
51 mph (81 km/h)Cruise from acceleration
Recommended Shif t Points Engine Speed L imiter
5-speed Manual T ransmission
Driving145