2003 HONDA CIVIC HATCHBACK steering wheel

The hydraulic system that operates
the brakes has two separate circuits.
Each circuit works diagonally across
the car (the lef t-f ront brake is
connected with the right-rear brake,
etc.). If one circuit should develop a
problem, you will still have braking
at two wheels.Your car has an Anti-lock Brake
System (ABS) as standard
equipment. ABS helps to prevent the
wheels f rom locking up and skidding
during hard braking, allowing you to
retain steering control.
When the f ront tires skid, you lose
steering control; the car continues
straightaheadeventhoughyouturn
the steering wheel. The ABS helps to
prevent lock-up and helps you retain
steering control by pumping the
brakes rapidly; much f aster than a
person can do it.
Brake System Design A nti-lock Brakes
Driving
The Braking System
148Front

this defeats the
purpose of the ABS. Let the ABS
work f or you by always keeping f irm,
steady pressure on the brake pedal
as you steer away from the hazard.
This is sometimes ref erred to as
You will f eel a pulsation in the brake
pedal when the ABS activates, and
you may hear some noise. This is
normal; it is the ABS rapidly
pumping the brakes.
Activation varies with the amount of
traction your tires have. On dry
pavement, you will need to press on
thebrakepedalveryhardbeforeyou
activate the ABS. However, you may
feel the ABS activate immediately if
you are trying to stop on snow or ice. such as trying to take a
corner too f ast or making a sudden
lane change. Always drive at a safe,
prudent speed f or the road and
weather conditions. it
only helps with steering control
during braking. You should always
maintain a saf e f ollowing distance
f rom other vehicles.
Always steer moderately
when you are braking hard. Severe
or sharp steering wheel movement
can still cause your car to veer into
oncoming traffic or off the road. on loose or
uneven surfaces, such as gravel or
snow, than a vehicle without anti-
lock. Slow down and allow a greater
distance between vehicles under
those conditions.
‘‘stomp and steer.’’
CONT INUED
You should never pump the
brake pedal;
A BS will not prevent a skid that
results f rom changing direction
abruptly,
A BS does not reduce the time or
distance it takes to stop the car;
A BS cannot prevent a loss of
stability. A vehicle with A BS may require a
longer distance to stopImport ant Saf et y Reminders
The Braking System
Driving
149

µ
µ Being able to see
clearly in all directions and being
visible to other drivers are important
in all weather conditions. This is
more difficult in bad weather. To be
seen more clearly during daylight
hours, turn on your headlights.
Inspect your windshield wipers and
washers f requently. Keep the wind-
shield washer reservoir f ull of the
proper f luid. Have the windshield
wiper blades replaced if they start to
streak the windshield or leave parts
unwiped. Use the def rosters and air
conditioning to keep the windows
f rom f ogging up on the inside (see
page ).
Exercise extra caution when driving
in rain af ter a long dry spell. Af ter
months of dry weather, the f irst
rains bring oil to the surf ace of the
roadway, making it slippery.
Rain, f og, and snow conditions re-
quire a dif f erent driving technique
because of reduced traction and
visibility. Keep your car well-
maintained and exercise greater
caution when you need to drive in
bad weather. Always drive
slower than you would in dry
weather. It takes your car longer to
react, even in conditions that may
seem just barely damp. Apply
smooth, even pressure to all the
controls. Abrupt steering wheel
movements or sudden, hard appli-
cation of the brakes can cause loss of
control in wet weather. Be extra
cautious f or the f irst f ew miles
(kilometers) of driving while you
adjust to the change in driving
conditions. This is especially true in
snow. A person can f orget some
snow-driving techniques during the
summer months. Practice is needed
to relearn those skills. 101
CONT INUED
Visibility
Driving T echnique
Driving in Bad Weather
Driving 151

It is best to replace all f our tires at
thesametime.If thatisnotpossible
or necessary, then replace the two
f ront tires or the two rear tires as a
pair. Replacing just one tire can
seriously af f ect your car’s handling.
The tires that came with your car
were selected to match the perform-
ance capabilities of the car while
providing the best combination of
handling, ride comf ort, and long lif e.
Youshouldreplacethemwithradial
tires of the same size, load range,
speed rating, and maximum cold tire
pressure rating (as shown on the
tire’s sidewall). Mixing radial and
bias-ply tires on your car can reduce
its braking ability, traction, and
steering accuracy.
CONT INUED
Replacing T ires and Wheels
Tires
Maint enance
197
Installing improper tires on your
car can affect handling and
stability. This can cause a crash
in which you can be seriously
hurt or killed.
Always use the size and type of
tires recommended in this
owner’s manual.

Remove the rubber weather seal
by pulling on the tab.
Insert the new bulb into the hole,
making sure the tabs are in their
slots. Pivot the hold-down wire
back in place and clip the end into
the slot.
Install the rubber seal over the
back of the headlight assembly.
Make sure it is right side up; it is
marked ‘‘TOP.’’
Push the electrical connector onto
the tabs of the new bulb. Make
sure it locks in place.
Turn on the headlights to test the
new bulb.Use a f lat-tipped screwdriver to
remove the holding clip f rom the
inner f ender.
Pull the inner f ender cover back.
Unclip the hold-down wire f rom its
slot by pushing it in and up. Pivot
it out of the way and remove thebulb.
If you are changing the bulb on
the driver’s side, start the engine,
turn the steering wheel all the way
to the right, and turn off the
engine. If you are changing the
bulb on the passenger’s side, turn
the steering wheel to the left.
3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 1.
3.
2.
CONT INUED
Replacing a Front T urn Signal Bulb
Lights
Maint enance
203
HOLDING CLIP

If you decide to tow your car with all
f our wheels on the ground, make
sure you use a properly-designed and
attached tow bar. Prepare the car for
towing as described above, and leave
the ignition switch in Accessory (I)
so the steering wheel does not lock.
Make sure the radio and any items
plugged into the accessory power
socket are turned of f so they do not
rundownthebattery.
Emergency T owing
T aking Care of t he Unexpect ed
246 Trying to lif t or tow your car by the
bumpers will cause serious damage.
The bumpers are not designed to
support the car’s weight.
The steering system can be damaged if
the steering wheel is locked. Leave the
ignition switch in Accessory (I), and
make sure the steering wheel turns
f reely bef ore you begin towing.

CONT INUED
BatteryCharging System ...........................
Indicator . 58, 235
............................
Jump Starting . 230
..............................
Maintenance . 184
............................
Specif ications . 251
..............................
Bef ore Driving . 127
....................................
Belts,Seat .8,43
...........................
Beverage Holders . 90
.................................
Body Repairs . 220
Brakes
.............
Break-in, New Linings . 128
...........................................
Fluid . 177
.....................
Light, Burned-out . 207
.........................................
Parking . 89
.................
System Indicator . 59, 238
........................
Wear Indicators . 147
.............................
Braking System . 147
........................
Break-in, New Car . 128
..
Brightness Control, Instruments . 67
........................
Brights, Headlights . 66
...
Accessories and Modif ications . 135
................................
Accessories . 135
.
Additional Safety Precautions . 136
............................
Modif ications . 136
ACCESSORY (Ignition Key .......................................
Position) . 73
...............
Accessory Power Socket . 92
Adding
................................
Brake Fluid . 178
...............................
Clutch Fluid . 178
..........................
Engine Coolant . 171
..................................
Engine Oil . 167
....
Manual Transmission Fluid . 177
........
Windshield Washer Fluid . 176
Additional Inf ormation About .......................
Your Seat Belts . 43
......................
Lap/Shoulder Belt . 43
...............
Seat Belt Maintenance . 45
..
Seat Belt System Components . 43
Additional Inf ormation About ...........................
Your Airbags . 46
...
Additional Safety Precautions . 51
How the Passenger Airbag
..........
Cutoff Indicator Works . 49 How Your Front Airbags
.........................................
Work . 46
....................
Airbag Components . 46
....................
Additives, Engine Oil . 168
Adjustments
..........................
Head Restraints . 82
.........................................
Mirrors . 88
.............................................
Seats . 81
...........................
Steering Wheel . 71
...............................
Airbag (SRS) . 9, 46
.....................
Air Cleaner Element . 179
................
Air Conditioning System . 96
..............................
Maintenance . 189
............................................
Usage . 96
.........................
Air Outlets (Vents) . 98
.......................
Air Pressure, Tires . 193
..................
High Speed Driving . 194
.........................
Normal Driving . 194
.......................
Alcohol in Gasoline . 254
......................................
Antif reeze . 171
Anti-thef t Steering Column
..............................................
Lock . 73
..........................
Appearance Care . 213
................................
Audio System . 104
Index
A B
I

ÎÎ
CONT INUED
..................................
Saf ety Belts . 8, 43
.........
Safety Defects, Reporting . 264
.................................
Saf ety Features . 7
...........................................
Airbags . 9
..................................
Door Locks . 11
..........................
Head Restraints . 10
.......................................
Seat Belts . 8
..................
Seats and Seat-Backs . 10
.............
Saf ety Labels, Location of . 53
...............................
Saf ety Messages . ii
Seat Belts, Additional
..............................
Inf ormation . 43
......................
Lap/Shoulder Belt . 43
...............
Seat Belt Maintenance . 45
..
Seat Belt System Components . 43
.....................................
Seat Belts . 8, 43
.....................................
Cleaning . 218
................................
Maintenance . 45
...................
System Components . 43
..........
Tether Anchorage Points . 39
...............
Use During Pregnancy . 18
...
Wearing a Lap/Shoulder Belt . 15
........................
Seats, Adjusting the . 81
...............................
Serial Number . 248 ...........................
Service Intervals . 158
...........................
Service Manual . 265
.........
Service Station Procedures . 129
..........................
Setting the Clock . 109
Shif ting
The 5-speed Manual
.........................
Transmission . 144
Side Marker Lights, Bulb .........................
Replacement in . 204
...............................
Signaling Turns . 68
.....................................
Snow Tires . 199
...................
Solvent-type Cleaners . 214
................................
Sound System . 104
Spare Tire
......................................
Inf lating . 222
............................
Specif ications . 251
................
Spark Plugs, Replacing . 181
....................
Specif ications Charts . 250
...................................
Speedometer . 63
..........
SRS, Additional Inf ormation . 46
...
Additional Safety Precautions . 51
....................
Airbag Components . 46
.............................
Airbag Service . 50
How the Passenger Airbag
Cutoff Indicator Light
...................................
Works . 49 How the SRS Indicator
.......................................
Works . 48
How Your Front Airbags .........................................
Work . 46
...
How Your Side Airbags Work . 48
.............................
SRS Indicator . 48, 58
....
START (Ignition Key Position) . 73
.......................
Starting the Engine . 143
In Cold Weather at High ..................................
Altitude . 143
................
With a Dead Battery . 230
........
Steam Coming f rom Engine . 232
Steering Wheel
..................................
Adjustment . 71
.............
Anti-theft Column Lock . 73
...................
Stereo Sound System . 104
...........................
Storing Your Car . 212
Supplemental Restraint
..................................
System .9,46
......................................
Servicing . 50
.........................
SRS Indicator . 48, 58
...................
System Components . 46
..................................
Synthetic Oil . 168
Index
S
VII