2003 HONDA CIVIC HYBRID brake

Check your brakes af ter driving
through deep water. Apply the
brakes moderately to see if they f eel
normal. If not, apply them gently and
f requently until they do. Since a
longer distance is needed to stop
with wet brakes, be extra cautious
and alert in your driving. Constant application of the brakes
when going down a long hill builds
up heat and reduces their ef f ective-
ness. Use the engine to assist the
brakes by downshif ting to a lower
gear and taking your f oot of f the
accelerator pedal.When the brake pads need replacing,
you will hear a distinctive metallic
‘‘screeching’’ sound when you apply
the brakes. If you do not have the
brake pads replaced, they will begin
screeching all the time.
Your brakes may sometimes squeal
or squeak when you apply them
lightly. Do not conf use this with the
brakewearindicators.Theymakea
very audible ‘‘screeching.’’ The f ront disc brakes on all models
have audible brake wear indicators.
Put your f oot on the brake pedal only
when you intend to brake. Resting
your f oot on the pedal keeps the
brakes applied lightly, causing them
to build up heat. Heat build-up can
reduce how well your brakes work. It
also keeps your brake lights on all
the time, conf using drivers behind
you. The Civic Hybrid is equipped with
f ront disc brakes. The brakes on the
rear wheels are drum. A power assist
helps reduce the ef f ort needed on
thebrakepedal.TheABS(oncars
equipped with ABS) helps you retain
steering control when braking very
hard. Brake Wear Indicators
The Braking System
Driving174

CONT INUED
The hydraulic system that operates
the brakes has two separate circuits.
Each circuit works diagonally across
the vehicle (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.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.
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.
The ABS also balances the f ront-to
rear braking distribution according
to vehicle loading.
‘‘stomp and steer.’’
Brake System Design
A nti-lock BrakesYou should never pump the
brake pedal;
(Optional)
Driving
The Braking System
175
Front

on loose or
uneven surf aces, such as gravel or
snow, than a vehicle without anti-
lock. Slow down and allow a greater
distance between vehicles under
those conditions.
it
only helps with steering control
during braking. You should always
maintain a saf e f ollowing distance
f rom other vehicles.
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.
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.
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.
The Braking System
Driving
A vehicle with A BS may require a
longer distance to stop
A BS does not reduce the time or
distance it takes to stop the car;
A BS will not prevent a skid that
results f rom changing direction
abruptly,
A BS cannot prevent a loss of
stability.Import ant Saf et y Reminders
176

Î
Î
The ABS is self -checking. If anything
goes wrong, the ABS indicator on
the instrument panel comes on (see
page ). This means the anti-lock
f unction of the braking system has
shut down. The brakes still work like
a conventional system without anti-
lock, providing normal stopping
ability. You should have the dealer
inspect your car as soon as possible. If the ABS indicator and the brake
system indicator come on together,
and the parking brake is f ully
released, the front-to-rear braking
distribution system may also shut
down.
Test your brakes as instructed on
page . If the brakes f eel normal,
drive slowly and have your car
repaired by your dealer as soon as
possible. Avoid sudden hard braking
which could cause the rear wheels to
lock up and possibly lead to a loss of
control.
62 275
The Braking System
Driving
A BS Indicat or
177
ABS INDICATOR
U.S. indicator shown

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 dif f icult 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
require 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. The cruise control
should not be used in these
conditions. 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. 116
Driving in Bad Weather
Driving
Visibility
Driving T echnique
178

This section also includes
Maintenance Schedules f or normal
driving and severe driving conditions,
a Maintenance Record, and instruc-
tions f or simple maintenance tasks
you may want to take care of
yourself .
If you have the skills and tools to per-
f orm more complex maintenance
tasks on your Honda, you may want
to purchase the Service Manual. See
page f or inf ormation on how to
obtain a copy, or see your Honda
dealer. This section explains why it is
important to keep your car well
maintained and how to f ollow basic
maintenance saf ety precautions.......................
Maintenance Saf ety .182
.
Important Safety Precautions . 183
.................
Maintenance Schedule . 184
...
Required Maintenance Record . 191
.......
Owner Maintenance Checks . 193
..............................
Fluid Locations .194
......................................
Engine Oil .195
..................................
Adding Oil .195
....................
Recommended Oil .195
..............................
Synthetic Oil .196
....................................
Additives .196
.....
Changing the Oil and Filter . 197
.............................
Cooling System .199
............
Adding Engine Coolant . 199
.......
Replacing Engine Coolant . 201
....................
Windshield Washers .205
.......................
Transmission Fluid .206
Continuously Variable ............
Transmission (CVT) . 206
5-speed Manual .........................
Transmission .208
................
Brake and Clutch Fluid . 209
............................
Brake System .209
...........................
Clutch System .210
.....................
Air Cleaner Element .211
....................................
Hood Latch .212 ....................................
Spark Plugs .213
..............................
Replacement .213
............................
Specif ications .215
...........................................
Battery .216
.................................
Wiper Blades .219
..............
Air Conditioning System . 221
..................
Dust and Pollen Filter . 222
.......................................
Drive Belt .224
...............................................
Tires .225
......................................
Inf lation .225
Recommended Tire Pressures ...........
f or Normal Driving . 226
Tire Pressure Adjustment f or ..........
High Speed Driving . 226
..................................
Inspection .227
..............................
Maintenance .227
.............................
Tire Rotation .228
...
Replacing Tires and Wheels . 229
......................
Wheels and Tires .230
..........................
Winter Driving .230
.............................
Snow Tires .230
............................
Tire Chains .231
.............................................
Lights .232
.....................
Headlight Aiming .234
........................
Replacing Bulbs .234
...........................
Storing Your Car .243
303
Maintenance
Maint enance181

Be sure
there is adequate ventilation
whenever you operate the engine.
Let the
engine and exhaust system cool
bef ore touching any parts.
Do
not run the engine unless in-
structed to do so. Read the instructions before you
begin, and make sure you have the
tools and skills required.
Bef ore you begin any maintenance,
make sure your car is parked on
level ground and that the parking
brake is set. Also, be sure the engine
is of f . This will help to eliminate
several potential hazards:
You should wear eye protection and
protective clothing when working
near the battery or when using
compressed air. To reduce the possibility of f ire or
explosion, be caref ul when working
around gasoline or batteries. Use a
commercially available degreaser or
parts cleaner, not gasoline, to clean
parts. Keep cigarettes, sparks, and
flames away from the battery and all
f uel-related parts.
Maintenance Saf ety
Maint enance
Important Saf ety Precautions
Carbon monoxide poisoning
f rom engine exhaust.
Burns f rom hot parts.
Injury f rom moving parts.
183

µ
The Maintenance Schedule specif ies
how of ten you should have your car
serviced and what things need
attention. It is essential that you have
your car serviced as scheduled to
retain its high level of saf ety,
dependability, and emissions control
perf ormance.
Avoidexceedingyourcar’sload
limit.Thisputsexcessstresson
the engine, brakes, and many
other parts of your car. The load
limit is shown on the label on the
driver’s doorjamb.
Operate your car on reasonable
roads within the legal speed limit.
Drive your car regularly over a
distance of several miles
(kilometers).
Always use unleaded gasoline with
theproperoctanerating(seepage).
The services and time or distance
intervals shown in the maintenance
schedule assume you will use your
car as normal transportation f or
passengers and their possessions.
You should also f ollow these
recommendations:
Service your car according to the
time and mileage periods on one of
the Maintenance Schedules on the
f ollowing pages.
Follow the
Maintenance Schedule f or Severe
Conditions if you drive your car
MAINLY under one or more of the
f ollowing conditions.
Driving less than 5 miles (8 km)
per trip or, in f reezing
temperatures, driving less than 10
miles (16 km) per trip.
Driving in extremely hot [over
90°F (32°C)] conditions.
Extensive idling or long periods of
stop-and-go driving, such as a taxi
or a commercial delivery vehicle.
144
Maintenance Schedule
Maint enance
Which Schedule to Follow:
U.S. Owners
184