2003 HONDA CIVIC HATCHBACK Owners Manual

Disconnect the blade assembly
fromthewiperarmbypushingin
the lock tab. Hold the lock tab in
while you push the blade assembly
toward the base of the arm.
Raise the wiper arm of f the
windshield.
Check the condition of the wiper
blades at least every six months.
Look f or signs of cracking in the
rubber, or areas that are getting
hard. Replace the blades if you f ind
these signs, or if they leave streaks
and unwiped areas when used.
To replace a f ront wiper blad:Raise the driver’s side f irst, then
the passenger’s side. 2.
1.
Wiper Blades
Maint enance
186 WIPER ARMS
LOCK TAB

Remove the blade f rom its holder
by grasping the tabbed end of the
blade. Pull f irmly until the tabs
come out of the holder.Examine the new wiper blades. If
they have no plastic or metal rein-
f orcement along the back edge,
remove the metal reinf orcement
strips f rom the old wiper blade and
install them in the slots along the
edge of the new blade.Slide the new wiper blade into the
holder until the tabs lock.
Slide the wiper blade assembly
onto the wiper arm. Make sure it
locks in place.
Lower the wiper arm down against
the windshield.
Lower the passenger’s side f irst,
then the driver’s side.
3. 4. 5. 6. 7.
CONT INUED
Maint enance
Wiper Blades
187
BLADE
BLADE
REINFORCEMENT

Slide the blade out of the holder.
To replace a rear wiper blade:
Pull one end of the blade out f rom
the holder. Examine the new wiper blade. If it
has no plastic or metal rein-
f orcement along the back edge,
remove the metal reinf orcement
strips f rom the old wiper blade and
install them in the slots along the
edge of the new blade.
Slide the new blade into the holder.
Make sure it is engaged in the slot
along its f ull length.Insert both ends of the blade into
the holder. Make sure they are
secure.
Lower the wiper arm.
Raise the wiper arm of f the rear
window.
3. 4. 5.6. 7.
1. 2.
Maint enance
Wiper Blades
188 BLADE
REINFORCEMENT

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.
251
A ir Condit ioning Syst em
Maint enance189
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.

The air conditioning f ilter removes
pollen and dust that is brought in
f rom the outside through the heating
andcoolingsystem.
This f ilter should be replaced every
30,000 miles (48,000 km) under
normal conditions. It should be
replaced every 15,000 miles (24,000
km) if you drive primarily in urban
areas that have high concentrations
of soot in the air f rom industry and
diesel-powered vehicles. Replace it
more of ten if air f low f rom the
heating and cooling system becomes
less than usual.The dust and pollen f ilter is located
behind the glove box. Remove the dust and pollen f ilter
cover by pushing up on the lock
tab, then pivoting up the cover.
To replace it:
Open the glove box. Remove the
hooks on the side panels by
pushingontheendof eachhook
fromtheinsideof theglovebox.
Pivot the glove box out of the way.
1. 2.
Replacement
Dust and Pollen Filt er
Maint enance
190 HOOKS
COVER
LOCK TAB
Push

Reinstall the dust and pollen f ilter
cover.
Remove the f irst f ilter by pulling it
straight out of the air conditioning
unit. Remove the second f ilter by
sliding it to the lef t, then pulling it
out.
Install the dust and pollen f ilters
into the air conditioning unit.
Make sure the ‘‘AIR FLOW’’
arrows on the f ilter point
downward. Pivot the glove box up into
position. Install the tabs back in
place.
Close the glove box.
If you are not sure how to replace
the dust and pollen f ilters, have them
replaced by your Honda dealer.
5. 6. 7.
3. 4.
Dust and Pollen Filt er
Maint enance 191
DUST AND POLLEN FILTERS

If the pointer is out of this range or
you see signs of wear, have the drive
belt replaced by your Honda dealer
as soon as possible.
An auto-tensioner adjusts the tension
of the drive belt. The pointer on the
auto-tensioner should point at the
square depression in the arm.
Drive Belts
Drive Belts
Maint enance
192 Proper range
POINTER

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.
CONT INUED
Inf lation
Maint enance
Tires
193
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.