2003 HONDA CIVIC HYBRID check engine

Check the f luid level with the engine
and transmission at normal operating
temperature.Park the car on level ground. Shut
of f the engine. For accurate
results, wait at least 60 seconds,
andnomorethan90seconds,
af ter shutting of f the engine to
check the f luid level. Remove the dipstick (yellow loop)
f rom the transmission and wipe it
with a clean cloth.
When you ref ill the reservoir, clean
the edges of the windshield wiper
blades with windshield washer f luid
on a clean cloth. This will help to
condition the blade edges.
1.
2.
Maint enance
Continuously Variable
T ransmission (CVT )
Windshield Washers, T ransmission Fluid
206
DIPSTICK
Do not use engine antif reeze or a
vinegar/water solution in the
windshield washer reservoir.
Antif reeze can damage your car’s paint,
while a vinegar/water solution can
damage the windshield washer pump.
Use only commercially-available
windshield washer f luid.

If the level is below the lower
mark, add f luid into the f iller hole
to bring it to the upper mark.
Insert the dipstick all the way into
the transmission securely as
shown in the illustration.
Remove the dipstick and check
the f luid level. It should be
between the upper and lower
marks within the HOT range. Always use Honda ATF-Z1
(Automatic Transmission Fluid). If
it is not available, you may use a
DEXRON
III automatic
transmission f luid as a temporary
replacement. However, continued
use can affect shift quality. Have
the transmission f lushed and
ref illed with Honda ATF-Z1 as
soon as it is convenient.
To thoroughly f lush the transmission,
the technician should drain and ref ill
it with Honda ATF-Z1, then drive the
vehicle a short distance. Do this
three times. Then drain and ref ill the transmission a final time.
Pour the f luid slowly and caref ully
so you do not spill. Clean up any
spills immediately. Spilled f luid
could damage components in the
engine compartment. The transmission should be drained
and ref illed with new f luid according
to the time and distance recommen-
dations in the maintenance schedule.Insert the dipstick all the way back
into the transmission securely as
shown in the illustration.
5.
6.
3.
4.
T ransmission Fluid
Maint enance207
HOT
Range UPPER
MARK
LOWER
MARK

Check the f luid level with the
transmission at normal operating
temperature and the car sitting on
level ground. Remove the under
cover to access the transmission
housing(seepage ).Removethe
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 torun 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
andcontinuedusecancausestiffer
shif ting. 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.
197
5-speed Manual Transmission
T ransmission Fluid
Maint enance208
Correct Level
FILLER BOLT

The f luid level should be between
theMINandMAXmarksontheside
of the reservoir. If the level is at or
below the MIN mark, your brake
system needs attention. Have the
brake system inspected f or leaks or
worn brake pads.
Always use Honda Heavy Duty
Brake Fluid DOT 3. If it is not
available, you should use only DOT 3
or DOT 4 f luid, f rom a sealed
container, as a temporary
replacement. However, the use of
any non-Honda brake fluid can cause
corrosion and decrease the lif e of the
system. Have the brake system
f lushed and ref illed with Honda
Heavy Duty Brake Fluid DOT 3 as
soon as possible.
Check the f luid level in the reser-
voirs monthly. There are up to two
reservoirs, depending on the model.
They are:
Brake f luid reservoir (all models)
Clutch f luid reservoir
(manual transmission only)
The brake f luid should be replaced
according to the time recommenda-
tion in the maintenance schedule. Pour the f luid slowly and caref ully so
you do not spill. Clean up any spills
immediately. Spilled f luid could
damage components in the engine
compartment.
Brake f luid marked DOT 5 is not
compatible with your car’s braking
system and can cause extensive
damage.Brake System
Brake and Clutch Fluid
Maint enance209
MAX
MIN

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.
289
A ir Condit ioning Syst em
Maint enance221
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.

This section covers the more-
common problems that motorists
experience with their vehicles. It
gives you inf ormation about how to
safely evaluate the problem and what
to do to correct it. If the problem has
stranded you on the side of the road,
you may be able to get going again.
If not, you will also f ind instructions
on getting your car towed.......................
Compact Spare Tire .256
....................
Changing a Flat Tire .257
..........
If Your Engine Won’t Start . 263
Nothing Happens or the Starter Motor Operates Very .....................................
Slowly .263
The Starter Operates ................................
Normally .264
................................
Jump Starting .265
............
If Your Engine Overheats . 268
.........
Low Oil Pressure Indicator . 271
..........
Charging System Indicator . 272
.......
Malf unction Indicator Lamp . 273
.......................
Readiness Codes .274
...............
Brake System Indicator . 275
..............................................
Fuses .276
..........
Checking and Replacing . 277
......................
Emergency Towing .282
Taking Care of the Unexpected
T aking Care of t he Unexpect ed255

Diagnosing why your engine won’t
start f alls into two areas, depending
on what you hear when you turn the
key to START (III):When you turn the ignition switch to
START (III), you do not hear the
normal noise of the engine trying to
start. You may hear a clicking sound
or series of clicks, or nothing at all.
Check these things:
You hear nothing, or almost
nothing. The engine’s starter
motor does not operate at all, or
operates very slowly.
You can hear the starter motor
operating normally, or the starter
motor sounds like it is spinning
f aster than normal, but the engine
does not start up and run. Check the transmission interlock.
If you have a manual transmission,
the clutch pedal must be pushed
all the way to the f loor or the
starter will not operate. With an
automatic transmission, it must be
in Park or Neutral.
Turn the ignition switch to ON (II).
Turn on the headlights and check
their brightness. If the headlights
are very dim or don’t light at all,
the battery is discharged. See
on page . Turn the ignition switch to START
(III). If the headlights do not dim,
check the condition of the f uses. If
the f uses are OK, there is proba-
bly something wrong with the
electrical circuit f or the ignition
switch or starter motor. You will
need a qualif ied technician to
determine the problem. (See
on page .)
If the headlights dim noticeably or
go out when you try to start the
engine, either the battery is dis-
charged or the connections are
corroded. Check the condition of
the battery and terminal connec-
tions (see page ). You can
then try jump starting the car from
a booster battery (see page ).
265 282
216 265
CONT INUED
Nothing Happens or the Starter
Motor Operates Very Slowly
Jump Starting Emergency T owing
If Your Engine Won’t Start
T aking Care of t he Unexpect ed263

If youfindnothingwrong,youwill
need a qualif ied technician to f ind
the problem. Seeon page .
In this case, the starter motor’s
speed sounds normal, or even f aster
than normal, when you turn the
ignition switch to START (III), but
the engine does not run.
Your car has the Immobilizer
System. You should use a
properly-coded master or valet key
to start the engine (see page ).
A key that is not properly coded
will cause the immobilizer system
indicator in the dash panel to blink
rapidly.
Are you using the proper starting
procedure? Ref er to on page . Do you have f uel? Turn the
ignition switch to ON (II) for a
minute and watch the f uel gauge.
The low f uel level warning light
may not be working, so you were
not reminded to f ill the tank.
There may be an electrical
problem, such as no power to the
f uel pump. Check all the f uses
(see page ).
84
161 277
282
Emergency
Towing
T he Starter Operates Normally
Starting the
Engine
If Your Engine Won’t Start
T aking Care of t he Unexpect ed264